Two Sides, Same Coin
by Adven277
Summary: He felt it. Somewhere out there, someone was waiting for him. They were like two sides of the same coin, they knew that the other was there, but they could never actually meet, even if they wanted to. Their verboten encounter would shatter the coin. Should they take the risk?
1. Same Fate

**A/N: **Just a little experiment. It's still pretty short, but the chapters will lengthen over time.

**Disclaimer: **There's a reason why it's called _fanfiction_, you know.

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It was in the middle of class when Minato Arisato had the sudden urge to enter the Velvet Room—although certain circumstances, like getting dragged into Home Economics after school, or into the playground for instance, gave him no time to protest. Afterwards he'd just be too fatigued to do anything else.

Something happened, similar to a glitch in a game, and it filled his chest with something entirely unexplainable. It was as if his leg had been tied to a rock and he had been underwater. He felt heavy and it was hard to breathe. The world fell into silence, and all he could focus on was this peculiar feeling. All traces of the familiar environment had vanished. There were no desks, chairs, classmates nor teachers. Only him and the dark abyss.

The stillness of it all worried him, and it took several minutes before Minato heard someone taking a deep breath.

_Death is patient._

The voice had sounded like a favorite song that he once listened to on his music player. It was bright and cheery, and apparently belonged to a girl of his age.

A voice filled with hope, yet uttered words so grim.

It was in that instant, when everything returned to normal. The air was once again filled with soft breathings, and the dull voice of the teacher. There was homework. And along the defeated sighs of the students came the sound of the bell for dismissal. The blue-haired boy took that as a cue to leave. Of course, being that he deadpanned his way through everything, no one actually noticed the strange way he was acting earlier on.

"Minato-kun!" called Yukari from behind, slapping a hand on his shoulder. "I'm heading to the mall. Wanna come with?"

Now, normally he wouldn't decline such an invitation. After all, Igor once told him that the bonds he formed would be important in the near future, so he made it a point to nurture each and every one of his friendships in the city. But Minato would only be bad company. Today, at least. He apparently had a lot to think about.

With a simple shake of the head, he parted his lips slightly to speak, ignoring the look of disappointment that would soon occupy her face. "Sorry."

The walk back to the dormitory was going to be a lonely one, but he didn't mind. He planned on walking past the shrine, after all. Doing so would always help him clear things out when it got confusing. Minato was grateful for the days when he could sit in solitude and where he could drown in his thoughts.

Footsteps faded when he reached the shrine, and he stood facing a well-aged statue at the middle. It had been said that you need only drop a coin to make a wish come true, but in all honesty, wishes were fleeting in his opinion.

There might come a time when granting them was possible, but that opportunity could just as well suddenly vanish.

Wishing for something to happen wasn't enough. Wishing for a world to call your own wasn't enough. Wishes wouldn't change reality.

Even though he was entirely certain of the fact that this was his reality, that this world was his, he couldn't help but feel as if somewhere, deep in the shattered gaps in time, someone was standing in the exact same spot, doing the exact same thing.

Making a wish despite of it all.

Admittedly, the blue-haired boy wasn't too keen with such things. He always accepted whatever it was life threw at him. He would take it without complaints and never say a word. It was actually his first time harboring feelings of wanting to discover an answer for himself. He always believed that the answers to his questions would come in time if he waited. Right now though, waiting seemed like a bad idea.

_You're there, aren't you?_

Of course he was. He had always been here, trapped in his own little world, although uncaring if someone dragged him away from it all.

Somewhere out there, there was someone whom he had a deep connection with.

Perhaps it was time to do a little bit of searching.

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**A/N: **I wonder if I'll be able to pull this off. Lmao.


	2. The Search

**A/N**: Here it is. Chapter two. Sorry it took so long.

**Disclaimer**: Don't own it.

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It was raining a bit hard today.

That's why Minato uncharacteristically removed his earphones just to listen to the rain drops hitting the window to his room. They appeared similar to glittering crystals and the sound of their gentle pitter-patter was soothing to the ears. It was one of the rare, silent days when he preferred not to listen to music.

"Yo, Minato," Junpei called from the other side of the door. "Hurry up or we're gonna be late." He made no motion towards the door, merely stared at it for a while before returning his gaze to the window. He was in no mood to go to school today, for some reason, and that moodiness of his only succeeded in annoying his ball cap-wearing friend. "Fine, I'm leaving you behind," he heard the other say. "Later, dude."

He himself did not understand the sudden change of mode for the past few days. Perhaps it was because of the weird sensation he felt the other day, but he should have gotten used to such already. After all, Port Island was a place that attracted anything queer. And the blue-haired boy wouldn't classify as being normal, as well.

Finally, Minato tore his gaze from the window and plastered his earphones back on, unusual determination set on his steel eyes. He put on a moss green jacket that was sitting on his desk and pulled up its hood. Silent footsteps made their way through the hallway, down the stairs and eventually, into the living room. There was no one present, most likely because they had all left for school, so no one bid him farewell before exiting through the door.

Outside, the city was stripped of its usual grandeur, replaced by a dull shade of gray caused by the downpour. Minato liked it this way, though, so he bit back a smile and proceeded to walk the streets, not caring in the slightest that he had no protection from the rain save for his jacket.

Puddle after puddle he splashed, wondering where he should go. Not every day that he decided to play hooky, so he wanted this day off to be somewhat worthwhile, perhaps get a lot of things sorted out in the process. When he entered the vicinity of the mall, his eyes settled on a bench by the fountain. Minato walked towards it, ignoring the squelching noises his soaked jacket made.

_What would it take_, he thought, _to hear your voice again?_

He took a seat; elbows propped against his knees and sighed inwardly. It was time to do what he did best. Confuse himself even more.

"I can't guarantee you a perfect life," his mother had said. He stared at her from below. She was rather tall for a lady, or perhaps it's because he was still a bit small. "And at one point, I'm sure we won't be here with you anymore."

There was complete silence. It seemed that she was waiting for a response of some sort, but when he said nothing, she merely smiled.

"You always were a quiet, reserved little child. You weren't shy," she said, "Just not interested."

Her words at the time had not affected him, but he liked the feeling of her warm hands gently cupping his cold cheeks. At that time, he thought he didn't need anyone's friendship, or love. His mother's and his father's were enough.

"But you have to be. You're going to need a lot of people someday," her voice was hopeful, and it was as if she'd just read his mind. "You're going to find someone, one with a kindred soul."

He wasn't sure what exactly the word 'kindred' meant, and he only understood after a few days, when he finally checked its meaning in a dictionary. If it meant being similar in character, then that search was going to be a difficult one. People had always told him that he was one of a kind.

But that wasn't it, was it?

The person didn't have to be similar to him in any way.

So when he opened his eyes, he found himself staring into a puddle, staring into deep, crimson hues.

He couldn't look away.

Ripples from rain drops would often disturb the puddle, and it would mar the image inside. He couldn't clearly take in the figure because of it, but he _did_ know that those eyes belonged to a girl. That voice last time probably came from her, as well. It was the first time he felt so frustrated in his entire life.

All that he had to go on was the mental representation of eyes tinted with crimson.

That's when he decided. The Velvet Room was close. Minato Arisato took a stand and headed to the alleyway up north. He stood by the glowing azure door, picturing its long-nosed master before shoving his hand in his pocket and rummaging for the key. His whole body tensed when the key was nowhere to be found.

"Huh," he said, clicking his tongue in disappointment. "I guess that option's out."

_So, mother, how do you search for a person when a voice and the color of her eyes are all you have as clues?_

"Tch."

The rain wouldn't let up, it seemed, as the sky grew darker by the minute. Thunderous noises filled the air and Minato watched as the people around him walked around with open umbrellas. His jacket had clung to his body, his blue hair constricting while rainwater trickled from his forehead to his jaw line. No sense in wearing the hood now.

He started walking aimlessly, wondering what to do. He was too desperate for answers that he was even willing to work with the vague ones that Igor probably would have given him. Did this girl truly exist or was he desperate for a kindred soul that much? Everything was whirling in his mind that he hadn't realized that he had stopped in front of the bookstore. Eyeing the door carefully, he sighed. It might be another door that wouldn't open.

After deciding that that was a foolish thought, he turned the knob and pushed it open. The sound of wood creaking and a bell ringing filled his ears. When he entered, he was greeted by a several books, and a pair of weary eyes, which were narrowed slightly as if trying to make out his features. They grew wide at apparent realization.

"Why, if it isn't Setsuo-chan! You're soaked!" Bunkinchi said from behind the counter confidently. His nimble hands slowly reached out for a towel resting on a chair. It was then when his wife walked into the room with furrowed brows.

"That's Minato-chan, dear."

He didn't really mind either way. Setsuo was a pretty cool name.

"Oh! That's right. My apologies, Minato-chan, my old age sometimes gets the better of me," the elderly corrected himself and smiled, to which the teen merely gave a nod. He muttered a low 'thank you' when he was handed a towel. "How is the Persimmon tree at your school, if I may ask?"

"Great," Minato said, wiping his face dry with the towel. When he saw that the elder seemed to be expecting more than that, he cleared his throat nervously and added, "It… bore its first fruit of the season."

"Fruit!" Mitsuko chimed while pouring something into a cup. She offered it to the boy and smiled at her husband. "Did you hear that, dear? The tree is bearing fruit!"

Bunkinchi's grin reached his ears. Minato, on the other hand, was merely sipping his still steaming beverage. "I heard, and it's wonderful news! Thank you for letting us know, Mitsuo-chan!"

"Minato-chan," the boy corrected, one finger pointing in the air.

For a while he listened to the couple's soft-witted chatter, allowing their slow murmurs to swallow him in temporary bliss. If this was how it felt like to have grandparents, then he wasn't about to complain. Then again, he never really complained about anything.

He wondered if Bunkinchi and Mitsuko were soul mates, chosen by fate to be together for the rest of their lives. He was curious about how they found each other, two strangers in a vast world, filled with billions of people. In this day and age, they were lucky to still be in love after all this time.

But Minato himself wasn't necessarily searching for the same thing. He was simply eager to know who it was that shared the same fate as his. He wanted to know if she would finish the journey, despite the possibility of it ending in tragedy. These thoughts would have probably continued to occupy his mind, were it not for Mitsuko breaking him out of his reverie.

"You seem troubled, Minato-chan."

He shrugged. "Not really."

"Are you sure?" she prodded, taking her place beside him.

Then again, he _could_ ask her. Ask how she found her soul mate, how she went about on her search. Maybe it would give him clues.

"I'm… looking for someone," he said.

She gave him a bemused look. "What does this person look like, dear?"

That's what Minato wanted to know, actually. He could remember the sound of her voice clearly, and how her eyes were a deep shade of—

"Crimson," he said. "She has crimson eyes."

Bunkinchi nodded. "What else?"

He couldn't answer.

Minato should have known, really, that these two wouldn't be able to help. He didn't have much to go on, anyway, and what could an elderly couple possibly do? Even the police were incapable of finding someone if all they had as clues were a pair of crimson eyes.

A pair of crimson eyes that tormented him so.

"Is that it, dear? What about the color of her hair?" Mitsuko asked softly. "The shape of her face?"

"Who is she, anyway?" her husband added, a wry smile plastered on his face. "Your _girlfriend_? You're at that age already, huh? I remember back in my youth…"

If that were the case, then he wasn't much of a boyfriend. He had no idea what his supposed lover looked like.

"Never mind," the boy interrupted. "Thank you for the towel and the tea." Minato bowed slightly before leaving the store.

He realized that the rain had stopped. The streets were still damp, but the sky was bright and clear. There were students hanging around the station and it led him to believe that school had been over. He decided not to loiter about and head to the dorm.

"Where've you been?" His senior greeted as soon as he entered the living room. Akihiko had been sitting on the couch and apparently reading a magazine about boxing. "Junpei told me you weren't at school. You know Mitsuru's going to have your head for this."

The boy felt chills run down his spine.

"You've been weird lately, Arisato," he heard the other say. "Is something wrong?"

Minato knew that it was Akihiko's way of saying that he shouldn't get too careless, because of the nearing full moon. He would have preferred if his senior had told him straight out that he shouldn't slack off. A little roughing up might have knocked him back to his senses. But he knew his friend wasn't like that.

"I'm always weird" was his response.

"Don't get smart with—"

"I'm fine, senpai." He started his walk towards the stairs, his back facing Akihiko, but his senior's voice stopped him.

"Are we heading to Tartarus tonight?"

Tartarus, huh? It sounded like a good idea to him at the moment. That way he'd be able to release all frustrations that he had pent up inside on the battlefield. A little action just might be what he needed. He took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, before answering with a nod.

Akihiko raised a brow. "I'll let Mitsuru know."

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A/N: I should be alright at this pace.


	3. What is Truly Frightening

**A/N**: Thanks for everyone who reviewed. I really appreciate each and every one, and you could say it's what feeds my muse to keep writing this thing. Lmao.

**Disclaimer**: Don't own it.

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"There's one right behind you!"

Minato blinked, turning on his heel before muttering a soft curse under his breath, all while maintaining his stoic features. Fuuka's voice had been full of alarm, but he was a bit underwhelmed to discover that their assailant this time wasn't the usual Iron Giant that roamed the floor.

A mere cupid-type shadow, which was limping its way towards them, was the unlucky one this time. It might have made him chuckle. Emphasis on _might._

Mitsuru flipped her ruby hair back with a delicate hand, positioning herself before the blue-haired boy in an almost authoritative demeanor. Her eyes focused solely on the shadow up front. A glimmer at the tip of her held blade, which was pointed towards the floor, caught the leader's attention. "Stand aside, Arisato. I'll handle this."

But at the corner of his vision, he saw the cupid's arrow aimed directly towards Mitsuru. The sole of his shoes screeched in swift motion while he, using his shoulder, pushed her out of firing range, ignoring the fencer's sharp cry of pain as the shadow's small fingers released its arrow, sending it flying towards his direction. It passed him—barely—a miniscule amount of azure hair cut and scattered about in the air.

"You okay?" he asked, turning to check if his senior was alright.

She looked at him, a mix of shame and gratitude evident on her face. "I… well, yes. I'm quite fine. My apologies for being rash."

"A simple 'thanks' is enough." A hint of a smirk played across his lips, causing the other to chuckle.

"Of course," she said, smiling. "Thank you."

Akihiko's laughter echoed through the dark hallway. "It's not like you to be careless, Mitsuru."

"You must have influenced me somehow," was her meager reply. That succeeded in replacing the boxer's smirk with a small frown. Minato hid his amusement as he watched the silly exchange between the two.

Meanwhile, Yukari had been walking a few steps ahead of them as a scout, checking the area for nearby enemies. He noticed her eyes flicker in both surprise and accomplishment and in successively, turned to face the rest of the group with a triumphant smile. She waved both hands enthusiastically, yelling from across the hall.

"Guys, over here! I found the stairs!"

"Awesome, Yuka-tan!" Junpei bellowed, following after her. "Come on, guys, what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

With smiles on their faces, the seniors proceeded to follow suit, and Minato was close behind. There was, however, this nagging feeling that something rather unpleasant was about to happen. And he wasn't successful in shaking it off. Ignoring it, the blue-haired boy walked up the stairs and to the next level of the tower.

"Darkness is scary."

Little Minato Arisato had blinked his gleaming silver eyes twice, small hands shoved directly into his pockets. He had been staring at a young boy (whose name was eluding him at the moment) seemingly cowering at a corner in almost total darkness. They had been challenged—or possibly tricked—into entering an old, abandoned building in the middle of the night. The other children had probably thought that it was fun to pick on the young introvert, and had dragged him from home. His mother, who carelessly thought that this was an opportunity for him to make friends, urged him to join the other children.

He hadn't been particularly bothered. He just thought it had been a hassle.

However, the unlucky child that was coerced into entering the building with him thought it was so. The blue-haired boy had recalled his trembling words, which were;

_Darkness is scary._

Was it?

"Not really," he'd finally said.

At those words, the cowering child turned to face Minato, disbelief clearly written on his face, demanding for an answer. The latter felt no need to explain himself, though.

"It is!" the other child cried. "My mama told me that's where the monsters hide and wait to pounce on bad little kids!"

His mother had told him otherwise.

Minato had been told that monsters lived in an entirely different place. It didn't have to be in total darkness, it didn't have to be in broad daylight, either. They could exist in our nightmares, but that's because—

"Monsters live inside of us."

And that sentence couldn't possibly ring any truer.

"…Na…t…kun…"

He woke to total darkness, realizing that he had been unconscious and lying on his stomach. He felt around for his sword, releasing a sigh of relief when he found it close by. There was nothing visible at all, but his brusque dream reminded him that there was nothing to be afraid of.

"Mi…to-ku…"

Apparently, that was Fuuka, attempting to contact him. If she couldn't, then he was probably in the higher floors of Tartarus, and almost out of her reach. He walked around with his hands pressed against the wall, trying to find better range, but the more he moved around, the more the signal was lost.

It came to the point when he couldn't hear her anymore.

He thought about the others. It wasn't that he didn't trust them, but feeling worried couldn't be avoided. For all he knew, some ended up alone like he had been, lost and confused in this vaunting color black.

The boy found himself running, in desperate search for his comrades. If anything were to happen to them, it would be _his_ fault, for he didn't think of this exploration through. Why on earth would he use Tartarus as a place to release his frustrations, anyway? That was outright stupid.

Maybe… he _was_ afraid of the darkness, after all.

Darkness involved a lot of things aside from stripping one's vision away. It could mean confusion, where your mind was clouded in black. It could mean heartbreak, jealousy, and wrath. It could mean one's willingness to embrace death because one has already given up.

Darkness truly was scary.

_And if monsters lived inside of us,_ he thought, _then darkness rests inside of us, too._

How long had he been walking around? It might have been seconds, or minutes. Was the Dark Hour almost over? What if all his friends' fates had been sealed, forever trapped in this dreadful labyrinth?

Then suddenly, he felt it.

Soft, nimble fingers, curling around his own.

They pulled him along, and he wasn't certain if he should leave everything in this person's hands. He couldn't hear any footsteps aside from his own.

_Monsters aren't all evil. And the darkness can help you in many ways._

A sharp gasp.

That was her voice. He was certain of it. His hands gripped hers tightly, because he knew he shouldn't let go. He _wouldn't._ Not when he's been searching for her for quite a while. Right now, she couldn't be seen, but everything about her gave off a feeling of warmth.

"Who are you?" he asked.

_Me?_

He could hear her fits of joyous laughter soaring against the labyrinth halls. Suddenly, the place didn't seem so frightening anymore. He ran confidently through the darkened floors, indifferent towards his nonexistent vision. He waited silently for her answer.

_I'm your—_

"Minato-kun! Thank goodness! Now I can reach you!"

Fuuka's voice invaded his mind. And in the middle of the darkness he saw a faint green light.

"Are you hurt anywhere? The others are already here," she told him. "I detect one teleportation device directly in front of you. Please hurry on over to the first floor, Minato-kun."

Minato was reluctant, but he did as told and walked towards the device. The feeling of her hand had disappeared, and he was overwhelmed with the feeling of emptiness washing over him. Leather shoes stepped on the platform. Green light slowly engulfed him and abruptly, had filled with sudden light. He silver eyes squinted to adjust to it, given that he had been in darkness for too long.

"Minato-kun! Are you okay?" cried Yukari as soon as he stepped out of the platform. He responded with a mere nod and the archer seemed almost broken into tears. Meanwhile Aigis had already been running towards the teen. Junpei and two of his seniors sprinted towards him, whereas Shinjiro and Ken and Koromaru couldn't make it to the exploration for reasons unknown.

Mitsuru was staring at him from head to toe. "No physical injuries, I see. You haven't encountered any shadows?"

He shook his head.

"Good."

Akihiko smirked at him and walked towards the exit. "Let's go, everyone," he called. "That's enough for today."

"Glad to hear it, senpai. I'm pooped after everything that's happened," Junpei said as he stretched his arms in the air. "Calling it quits. My bed's practically summoning me home."

"For once, I agree with Stupei here."

"Quit calling me that, Yuka-tan."

"Well, quit calling me 'Yuka-tan'!"

With a final glance back at the entrance, Minato walked towards the dorm, assuming his deadpan features and usual demeanor or walking with his hands in their respective pockets.

Unless he was losing his mind, he had a feeling that he was about to see her real soon.

He entered the safe premises of the dormitory, making it a point to check the lounge for any suspicious individuals. After all, it wasn't the first time someone lunged at him from behind, for the sole purpose of donning him with cat ears (which they probably wouldn't, given how exhausted they seemed to be.) When Minato was certain that the others were in their rooms, he ascended the stairs, walked towards the end of the second floor's hallways and entered his own. His sort of sanctuary.

There wasn't much privacy in here, either. On several occasions, Minato had seen—even conversed—with a child within the confines of these four walls. The boy had a strange little smile in his face, and it seemed even stranger with his clothes, striped in black and white. The boy introduced himself as Pharos.

Minato mostly shrugged his way through their conversations, though. Perhaps one of these days, he'd at least say goodnight to the boy.

With a little yawn, he climbed onto his bed, not bothering to cover himself with a blanket. He was far too exhausted and confused over the exploration to do anything else. Slowly, Minato closed his eyes. He felt himself being pulled into a dream.

What he didn't realize, was that his visit to the Velvet Room would happen sooner than expected.

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**A/N**: Next chapter is the fateful encounter.


	4. Violet

**A/N**: Longer than usual.

**Disclaimer**: Don't own it.

* * *

Violet.

When it came to the sky, it was a rare color, only emerging once the sun and moon cross paths. The time of twilight, where violet covered the sky. Eventually, it would fade into black, where stars would wake up one by one, and then unknown to the naked eye, the beautiful blanket would morph into an eerie, emerald green.

During this time, when one walked, the most hushed of footfalls would sound like nails dropping onto metal. The softest of whispers would sound like hurdling screams. No matter how careful a person was, without a doubt they would be heard.

Only those with the potential were allowed to roam free, and he used his freedom to open the door to his final destination. For now.

_I chooseth this fate of my own free will._

There was confusion, along with unease, but his fingers never loosened their grip on the pen. They worked slowly and steadily as they swiftly painted letters on the paper. A contract signing, inside a dormitory. He found it slightly illogical but didn't question the rules nonetheless. It was too much of a hassle to do so. And he never liked hassles, especially today-

-When things outside were blanketed by an ocean of green, puddles of blood scattered about on the streets. He never dared question the coffins standing upright outside the building, but he wanted to.

He was inside the living room, by the entrance, and right in front of him was a boy in striped pajamas, asking him to sign a contract that made him promise to take responsibility for all of his actions.

He never understood, not until that fateful day.

Suddenly, several hours before his first visit to the dormitory, he found himself packing his things, stuffing monochromatic clothes into his luggage. Lifeless, ash gray eyes glinted at the window, and there he caught the color violet, the color of dusk.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room."

Undoubtedly, that familiar voice belonged to the master of the room. As soon as his silver eyes opened, a wave of royal blue filled his vision. The inconsistent shadows were dancing on the floor, made by the light flickering from outside the endless elevator. Minato glanced upwards, and there he saw Igor, his nose of considerable length, and his lovely assistant Elizabeth. "This is quite unexpected, I must say. Your entry here has yet again been through a dream."

A flash of blue obscured part of his vision. His hair had seemingly fallen to cover his eyes, so all those present couldn't see his slight raising of a brow at the latter words. He felt uncomfortable, as per usual, as Igor flashed his menacing pearly whites.

"Please, have a seat," the master gestured to the plush chair before the table.

"I couldn't enter."

Igor nodded slowly. "Yes, that is—"

"The key is gone."

"Regarding that—"

"Weird things have been happening to me."

Elizabeth cleared her throat and broke into the conversation. "If you would permit the master to speak, then unanswered questions shall no longer be, yes?"

He doubted that, but nodded and took his seat anyway.

"There has been a glitch in time," Igor began, fingers intertwined and elbows resting on the velvet table. "A paradox, in other words, that allows two universes to overlap. Now, I mentioned to you before that this room exists between the realm of consciousness and unconsciousness, between dreams and reality. This paradox has seemingly restricted access to guests such as yourself."

"_Restricted_, meaning…"

His attendant stepped forward and said, "For the time being, you are unable to enter the Velvet Room of your own free will."

"What caused the paradox?" he asked.

Elizabeth was the one who opted to answer this. "We do not know that for certain. What we _do_ know is that we are unable to aid you until a solution has been made," as the attendant answered, her hands rummaged carefully inside her endless purse. From there she produced what seemed like a key, except something was very wrong with it. "It is yours."

So this was where it went off to. His azure key, which gave him access to the Velvet Room, had somehow found its way back here without its owner. However, what is most crucial to the key wasn't present; its other half had apparently been breached. Minato analyzed it carefully; the section where it had been cut was cut cleanly, as if it were made that way since the beginning.

"As you can see, it is broken. The important part is missing."

He frowned, which didn't bode well for the days that were to come. Igor seemed to notice this, and shot him a reassuring glance.

"Now, don't lose hope yet, precious guest. All is not lost. Such glitches come with threats, but also come with good opportunities."

"…Opportunities?"

"When half and half come together, they become whole."

Obviously.

"They become a force that is stronger than before."

Vague, as how he had always been. He pushed himself back to lean against his chair. "Where are you getting at?"

"Find what is needed to be found, that is all."

A few minutes of silence.

Then a grunt.

Fingers drummed against the velvet table.

Finally, he leaned forward, impatience betraying his features.

"…That's it?"

Igor simply looked at him with that ever irritating grin of his. His conduct calmer and ultimately more composed than the boy's.

Minato pressed on. "What is it that I'm supposed to be looking for?"

"That, I cannot say."

"Shouldn't it be the missing half of this key?" He held it up, broken and cradled in his pale hands.

"Not necessarily. Its counterpart will soon enough find its way to you. That key merely serves to open the door to this room. It won't rectify this paradox should you find it. I believe it is best if you focus your search on something else."

He shoved the key into his pocket without tearing his gaze from the long-nosed man. "Like…?"

"All the answers to your questions lie within you. You need only search with your mind, not with your eyes. Seek with your heart, and the door will open for you."

Does this paradox pose as a threat to this world?

"I sincerely hope that you're not thinking of leaving this be," Elizabeth said with her usual cat-like grin. "It might not directly affect this world, but it might affect the reality of another. There is a possibility that someone with an important role might stray from his or her path."

"We have many, many guests," Igor chimed in. "All serve a purpose, all contribute to this balance. The most important shall receive the power of the universe if need be."

Minato riveted beyond the denizens, where screened, metal barricades towered over them all. He knew it was an elevator, but its destination, or how high above they were, were unknown. Various sounds of alloyed ropes, burning against alloy, resonated with the gush of wind caused by its rapid movement towards the peak. Wherever they were headed, it must have been quite high.

Perhaps _she_ was waiting at the end of this elevator.

Perhaps _she_ existed somewhere around the paradox.

_Of course not. _He shook his head in both amusement and dissatisfaction. "Anything else?"

Unmoving, Igor bore his gaze unto the boy and, for a moment, the sound of the elevator running couldn't be heard, and everything withdrew into silence.

"Just one more thing," the master held one finger.

Minato said nothing, a sign for the other to continue.

"The mirror does not lie."

"…"

Thank you kindly for the inefficient, most nonsensical visit of his lifetime. Now he had to search for _two_ things that he wasn't sure even existed, and his coming here only succeeded in producing more questions than actual answers. It was too much of a hassle to say that out loud, though. Abruptly, Minato rose to his feet, furniture screeching against the floor as he pushed it back. The gazes of the two Velvet Room residents followed him as he did so.

Tone flat and eyes sharp, he spoke.

"I think it's about time that I left."

* * *

.

.

_My actions are my consequences._

.

.

* * *

As if placing the broken key onto his study desk and staring daggers at it until dawn was going to help him solve the case.

That dream (which wasn't really a dream) had him waking up in cold sweat, and despite the blue-haired boy's attempt to fall asleep a second time, he couldn't, hence staying up and thinking things through was the other alternative.

Of all the things that could happen, it had to be a paradox. Minato knew that access to the Velvet Room was crucial during SEES's journey towards Tartarus. A stronger leader was always better, in his opinion. But now that _that_ wasn't about to happen anytime soon, he had to make do with what he was now.

Minato Arisato, a boy who went to live at Tatsumi Port Island for a year, who unknowingly went to get himself involved in all of this insanity. If he knew beforehand, then—

—he surprisingly wouldn't change a thing.

"Yo."

Only one person could have given him that greeting. The person in question seemed to have waited a while before deciding to knock on his door. Junpei must have something serious to talk about. "It's open," Minato said, pushing the key into the deeper parts of the table and hidden from view. Sure enough, the door opened a few seconds after, revealing his friend's bushy features.

However, the grin that usually crossed the other's lips wasn't present at all, not even a hint.

"Something wrong?" the stoic one of the two asked. "You're never up this early."

Junpei shook his head, his breathing ragged, the corners of his jaw glistened from the sweat trickling down his neck. Minato often caught the magician in his weakest moments, and apparently, this was one of them.

"I don't know, man—I mean—should I really say that I'm seeing things? Or maybe studying is taking its toll on me?"

Junpei? Studying? He looked around for signs of flying pigs.

"Don't give me that look, bro. I _have_ been studying. Against my will, though. Mitsuru's eyes are like a hawk's, I'm tellin' ya. Seriously, she ain't giving me a break anytime soon," the ball-capped boy's knees met with the floor, and then he leaned against the bed before heaving a worn out sigh. "The thing is—I think I've finally snapped."

"You said you were seeing things?" Minato had always been blunt, true enough.

Junpei nodded. "Yeah. I was brushing my teeth in the bathroom, you know, to maintain my pearly whi—"

"Yes, yes. What did you see?"

He felt something grabbing his shoulders forcefully, almost to the point that the blue-haired boy was pinned against the wall, but he managed to place one foot backward to steady himself. Junpei had him seized; the normally happy-go-lucky teen was obviously shaken.

"The mirror, man. The mirror. My reflection moved on its own!"

There was silence.

"I swear, I was just brushing my teeth, but then suddenly my reflection clutched its head as if it were in pain or in agony over something."

Minato paused, analyzing his friend's body language carefully. He showed no signs of fabrication. In fact, Junpei was at his most sincere, more than he had ever been. Minato brought a hand to the other's forehead, clicking his tongue in inconformity when his friend's temperature was normal. That very act seemed to anger the capped boy.

"Dude, I'm not crazy!"

"Just checking."

"I'm serious, man!"

Minato nodded. "I believe you."

Junpei appeared skeptical.

"I do," the stoic one insisted, stuffing both hands into their pockets. "Just give me a little time to figure it out."

"Are you for real?"

"I'll only deem you crazy if we can't find anything that explains this… phenomenon."

And the grin reached the magician's ears as soon as those words were uttered. "Alright. Don't you dare go back on your word, okay? I'm trusting you here."

"In the name of the bro-code," Minato swore, one hand pressed against his chest.

* * *

.

.

_When everything is beyond my reach, I don't hesitate._

.

.

* * *

So here he was, alone inside the bathroom, mentally preparing himself for what he was about to see.

'_The mirror does not lie.'_

Or so he was told.

If that was true, then what had Junpei's reflection shown him? The truth? What about he, himself? What would the mirror show him?

A pair of silver eyes.

Strands of midnight blue hair.

Thin lips, forming a straight line.

Gray earphones loosely wrapped around the neck.

The image shown in the mirror was Minato Arisato himself.

Well, half of him, at least.

He could see a thin line breaking his reflection in half. Where his azure hair should have been, instead revealed auburn strands. One earpiece of headphones was painted red, and from the left showed his thin, straight lips, but when crossing the line, they had turned upwards, forming a smile.

And the familiar color of her crimson eyes.

The image shown in the mirror was half of Minato Arisato himself, and apparently half of someone else.

'_The mirror does not lie.'_

He stared. Minato Arisato couldn't help it, so he stared, made sure to memorize half of her features so he could mirror them whole in his mind later on. How this girl had cherry eyes and chocolate hair, how her smile was as sweet as the earlier described, how she seemed so very different from him, yet so very much the same.

No movements were attempted, for fear of breaking the link that connected the two of them. He now understood how Junpei felt when he said he had gone insane.

The lips of the truer half of his reflection moved. "Who are you?"

The other half moved. "You're asking me that again?"

He nodded.

"I'm sure you can make an educated guess from here."

She laughed. "I'm your—"

"Wait."

He took a deep breath.

"You're my other half."

And the other half of his reflection faded with a smile.

His mind had never been clearer.

"Where are you going?"

Minato stopped, turned to look at Akihiko with a stoic face and gave him a hastened salute, before opening the door and exiting through it with a slight jog, leaving his senior's question unanswered. It was cold outside, the sun barely risen, and the air felt frigid brushing against his pale skin—especially since he'd been running. But he wouldn't allow himself to stop.

He found her—his soul mate. She wasn't a friend, at least not yet, and she wasn't his lover (no one could predict the future.) But then again, this girl wasn't a mere acquaintance, either. Her presence brought music to his mute soul, and that was enough reason to be by her side.

The path seemed to grow longer with every step he took. Each second that passed by felt like hours.

But Minato was a patient man. He didn't really mind the extra mile.

He had never felt so alive in his entire life. Not while he was doing kendo, nor arts, not even whilst fighting inside Tartarus. Right now, his whole being screamed energy that he felt his blue aura materializing onto his outline while he ran. He cast his gaze heavenwards, and he once again caught the sky in its rare color.

He could almost see it now, her crimson glow, his azure mixing with hers, forming a beautiful twilight violet.

For the first time in a long while, where no one could see, Minato Arisato smiled.

* * *

**A/N**: Lmao. Could that be considered a fateful encounter? I thought not. Sorry about that.


	5. A Promise

**A/N**: I hope I'm pulling this off somehow... and thanks for the reviews! Lmao. Makes me giddy.

**Disclaimer**: Don't own it.

* * *

"Minato-kun's been… distant lately, hasn't he?"

Junpei arched a brow, tilting the comic book that he'd been reading to see Yukari absentmindedly fiddling with the sole of her shoes. She sat on the couch right across him; her feet propped up to cradle her chin. He, on the other hand, scoffed.

"What's wrong, Yuka-tan? Feeling lonely that our leader's not giving you enough love?"

_Thud!_ A pillow flew rapidly across the room, landing smack dab on his face.

"Wh—hey! Whad'ya do _that_ for!"

"That's for being annoying," the archer said, glaring. "I was just commenting on how he hasn't been around us, lately."

"Give the guy some space. Minato's not exactly a people-person. Who knows what's going on inside that deep little noggin of his."

Yukari sighed. "Not a people-person… he's popular despite that, though…"

He took a deep breath and pushed himself forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "That's true. Kind of pisses me off, really."

"_What's_ pissing you off?" Akihiko asked, walking casually into the room.

"Oh—hi, senpai," the archer waved. Her voice was cheery but the enthusiasm did not show in her face. "Stupei's just jealous that Minato's slick with the ladies and _he_ isn't. That, and how he isn't himself for the past few days."

Akihiko laughed, taking his place on the couch adjacent to Junpei. "Well, maybe if you start taking things seriously for once, Junpei, then the girls might actually consider looking your way—" That comment was immediately disputed by a 'hey, I resent that' from the ball-capped boy, but the boxer merely laughed it off. "And I noticed that, too… I knew since the beginning that he had a tendency to space out, but no doubt it's gotten worse this week."

"What say we investigate?"

Yukari's and Akihiko's heads both turned to stare at the boy, who was wearing his familiar mischievous grin. Both raised their brows, and exchanged knowing looks.

"Weren't _you_ the one who told me to give him some space?" Yukari said suspiciously.

"Hey—if even Akihiko-senpai thinks he's being weird, then it must be serious! Worth investigating, ain't it?"

The girl resumed fiddling with the sole of her shoes. "W—ell… I _am_ a little curious…"

"See? See? Yuka-tan's in! What about you, senpai?"

"No thank you," Akihiko shook his head. "I'm not going to let you drag me into your little schemes."

"What if he's got a _girlfriend_?"

The archer stood up, glaring daggers at the boy. "What? No way!"

"Arisato, with a girl? I wouldn't be surprised." Akihiko told him.

To which, Junpei merely chuckled. He tipped his hat down, covering one eye, and then a smirk played across his face. He had his arms crossed as if he had everything figured out. Akihiko took note of his junior's confidence.

"Aren't you at all curious? About the girl who has the great Minato Arisato wrapped around her little fingers? She could be a real temptress, a real cutie-pie!"

Yukari clicked her tongue. "So _that's_ what you're after…"

"What," he leaned back, his stance similar to that of the accused. "I'm just a guy. This is perfectly normal."

"Perfectly normal for a pervert like you," she shot back.

Suddenly, Akihiko grabbed Junpei by the collar and pulled him into a standing position. He motioned for Yukari to rise as well, and said; "Let's go. He shouldn't have gone far. Unless he left the city or something."

Yukari, apparently troubled by this, didn't protest when she saw Junpei's triumphant grin.

* * *

Was Tatsumi Port Island always this… big?

Even for the blue-haired boy, impatience was taking its toll on him. _Today's the day_, he knew that, if he was going to search, then now was the time to do so. But he had been running for a while, had checked the school even though it was a rest day, and his feet had taken him around the mall and back. So far, no such luck.

The urge to sit on a bench in front of the movie house kicked in, but he refused to cede defeat.

* * *

"Found him," Junpei whispered, eyes locked on the leader of SEES. He, Yukari and Akihiko all thought it best to conceal themselves as customers of the flower shop, right across the movie house, when Junpei noticed the lock of blue hair nearby.

"He seems a bit… tired." Yukari nodded to herself, arms crossed. She wanted to run up to him and offer her greetings but the narrowing of her senior's eyes caused her to cease that very thought.

Akihiko's gaze followed the object of their curiosity. "I think he's looking for something."

"Or someone."

"Quit it, Stupei."

The teen stepped back, away from the archer. "Wha—I was just—"

"Shh," Akihiko pointed one finger in the air. "He's on the move. Let's go."

They followed him towards the station, making sure to keep their distance. Yukari insisted that it was impossible for their leader to be meeting up with a girl if he was only dressed in casual wear, but Junpei shrugged it off and deemed her argument invalid. They had the patience to keep up with his slow pace, taking note of the fact that Minato had exhausted himself somewhere on his little journey.

"He's entering that musty old bookshop."

"See? He can't be going on a date. He's out there to buy books." The tone in the archer's voice was hopeful, as if she were trying to convince herself rather than the two.

From the see-through window outside, they watched as Minato conversed with the old couple in the shop. He seemed anxious, but it quickly turned into disappointment when the couple shook their heads. Minato gave a slight bow and exited the building. Fortunately, the three were able to hide themselves from view in time.

"He… wasn't looking for books to buy?" Yukari asked.

Akihiko shrugged nonchalantly. "I guess not."

* * *

He was being followed.

By three very curious dorm mates, nonetheless.

Minato wasn't surprised, to be honest, and he truly didn't mind if they walked up to him and outright asked him about this. Then again, it was amusing to watch three of his friends trailing him like a pack of hound dogs. He was a bit tempted to go round the whole city three times because of that. If only he hadn't been in a hurry.

Then it hit him.

The place where he felt her presence the most.

He wondered why the thought didn't cross his mind from the start.

After all, that's where he first questioned his very outlook in life, the way he handled things.

That's where he first felt that somewhere out there, someone had been lying in wait for him.

He wanted to laugh.

But he wouldn't, not until he was certain.

Slowly, as he walked, the familiar rows of trees came into view. The gate and steps leading to the shrine emerged from said trees, which caused a lump to form inside his throat. His heart started to race the more he neared them, but he tried to pull himself together.

Minato stood in front of the concrete stairs, gaze upwards and settling on the shrine that towered over the swaying leaves. He ignored the three sets of footfalls scurrying to follow him, and ascended the steps slowly, but steadily.

Chocolate hair danced, swayed, sometimes revealing her blanched, swan-like neck. The more he moved up, the more of her physique was exposed. Her back was facing him, so he couldn't see her face, but the boy regarded her uniform which bore the dull shade of gray, same as his eyes. It was then when he realized that the girl was wearing his alma mater's uniform.

"Have the monsters inside of you disappeared?"

Her shoulders rose slightly when she spoke, her tone upbeat and cheery. He watched her turn around, skirt rising and twirling to keep up with her movements. A pair of red earphones twiddled around her shoulders. This time, her crimson hues were in full view, her naturally pink cheeks pushed up by her dazzling smile.

The blue-haired boy, in all his indifference, held his breath.

"Not yet," he said. "I could use a hand, though."

She let out a good-natured laugh, and nodded while holding up her index finger. A gust of wind pushed the boy's azure hair back, revealing his rarely-exposed forehead and monochromatic eyes. "On one condition," she mused.

He waited for her to continue.

* * *

_._

_._

_The promise of a lifetime, one I was willing to keep._

_._

_._

* * *

"Stay by me."

Without the slightest hint of hesitation, he said; "I promise."

Another laugh, and then the girl took a step forward, looking into his ash gray eyes. Minato couldn't help but feel nostalgic, as if he'd been staring into a mirror all this time. But that was then, and this was now. Nothing posed between them, no barriers, no walls. They were standing on equal ground, and that was all that mattered.

The brunette pressed a fist to her chest and said, "My name is Minako. Minako Arisato. Nice to finally meet you."

He nodded. "Minato Arisato. Likewise."

Similar-sounding names, similar-sounding fate. He wasn't going to question it, and apparently it didn't look like she was about to bring it up, either.

The blue-haired boy extended a hand towards the other, never opting to lower it as she took another step forward, until those tiny steps turned into steadfast strides. She walked and walked, hand slightly raised and slowly, it rested on his.

Minako Arisato smiled fondly, fixated on their coupled hands. "It feels so real…"

He silently agreed, and for a while they held still, unmoving, silence accompanying their intense gazes. Until—

"It really _was_ a girl!"

"Shh! Quiet, you!"

Minako couldn't contain a giggle.

"Too late. They heard us."

Ah. He sighed inwardly, having had forgotten about those three.

Minato jerked his head to the right, gesturing for the brunette to look behind the bushes. Surely enough, it revealed the whereabouts of his friends. He reluctantly pulled away from her grasp and shoved his hands into their pockets. "Junpei, Akihiko-senpai and Yukari-san," he told her, eyes moving from one face to another as he introduced them. "Guys, meet Minako Arisato. She'll be living in the dorms from now on."

"The 'dorms'?" Akihiko asked, a bit surprised. "You mean…?"

He nodded once.

"I see. I'll let Mitsuru and the chairman know. Show her the way to the dormitory later, will you, Arisato?"

He nodded again, and Akihiko walked away.

"Senpai got out of that one, didn't he? We've been played," Junpei groaned, shoulders slumped and eyes focused on the ground dejectedly.

Yukari snapped. "Oh, shut up. It was _your_ stupid idea, anyway."

"Anyway, who's this pretty lady? Minako-chan… was it?" The ball-capped boy quickly got on his feet and flashed his signature grin at the brunette. "Are you and Minato here… in _love_ or something?"

"No, but we're each other's halves." Minako told him confidently. Minato resisted the urge to slap a hand to his face.

"Isn't that… kind of like the same thing?"

Yukari's face was grim, but a smile betrayed her sullen features. "That _is_ kind of romantic…"

She blinked her ruby eyes thrice. "Really?"

"Let's go back," Minato chimed in, pushing his friends along and ignoring the other male's protests. Yukari could only sigh at Minako's innocence regarding the whole matter.

Now that they were together, they'd be able to explore each other's lives, their personalities, if he'd let her, of course. It was an adventure that he greatly anticipated.

-But that adventure would have to wait, for they were both so utterly small and anxious under the pressures of Mitsuru's intense and inquisitive gaze. She had been waiting for them since Akihiko told her about the newcomer. That's why their hearts almost stopped when Minato opened the dormitory door and found a rather keen Mitsuru watching over the door like a hawk. The others were present, all seated at the couch or by the dining table. All except for the chairman.

"Arisato," she said, folding her arms and shifting her weight to one side.

"—Yes?"

"—Yeah?"

Mitsuru blinked, keeping still as her gaze transferred from the male Arisato to the female one and back. Akihiko and the others were surprised, as well.

"Ah, my last name is Arisato too, that's why," the female Arisato explained with a smile. "Minako Arisato, to be exact."

"Wow. Just a one-letter difference," Fuuka said, who was seated on the couch. "Amazing."

"Are you related in any way?" asked Ken, seated from across Fuuka.

Minato shook his head.

"That aside, are you absolutely sure that she has the potential, Arisato? Erm—male Arisato?"

The question was directed at Minato, but it was the girl who stepped forward to answer the red-headed fencer. "Yes, I do have it. I even have an evok—" Minato rested a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. She then cleared her throat and laughed. "—I mean, I can walk around freely when the sky is green."

"Ah," Mitsuru nodded. "You must mean the Dark Hour."

"Is that what it's called?"

At the moment, Minato felt nostalgic, recalling the days when he first summoned his Persona. It was Mitsuru who had explained things to him back then, as well. And now, as he silently listened to the conversation between his senior and his other half, he came to the realization that Minako really knew a lot of things about the Dark Hour and Persona. Of course, because of him, she had to feign ignorance about the whole thing.

Surprisingly, the fencer has already prepared an Evoker for her. It was contained in a light gray briefcase, just like his had been. Minako cradled it in her hands without hesitation, and the others all watched her with interest.

"Do you understand, Arisato? The female one, I mean." Clearly, even Mitsuru was having a difficult time.

"Yes," the newcomer nodded. "And I don't mind if you call me Minako, Mitsuru-senpai."

"I—yes, alright. Thank you," the senior cleared her throat, a faint shade of pink tinting her cheeks. She quickly regained her composure a few seconds after, of course. "Effective Monday, you are officially a student of Gekkoukan High. As its founder and acting leader except on the battlefield, I welcome you to SEES, Minako-san."

The others immediately crowded around her. Apparently, both Yukari and Fuuka were overjoyed at the thought of another girl joining the dorms, as well as Junpei. Akihiko and Shinjiro were indifferent about it, but Ken and Aigis, however, were rather fixated on the brunette.

Minato, who was tired from all that running, silently walked up the stairs to the second floor, secretly contemplating about his future from then on.

* * *

**A/N**: Let me know if I'm starting to suck. Haha.


	6. Reluctance

**A/N**: Huh. Things got busy there for a second, so I wasn't able to update faster. I hope this chapter isn't so confusing. I honestly have a format for this so it'd be clearer, but ff ruined it for me. Haha. Oh, and thanks for reviewing. I so suppose that this story's goals are yet unclear, but I hope to rectify that in the later chapters. :3 Hope you like this one.

**Disclaimer**: Don't own it.

* * *

"Welcome to the Velvet Room."

Hmm? What? _Oh._

That's right. After coming to a solution with the brunette, she and Minato were once again allowed access to the endless elevator.

"My, my. How unusual for two very special guests to be here at the same time."

He took note of Igor's words, uttered in his usual slithering voice. The lovely attendant was commonly standing beside him, which only enriched the presence of the peculiar-nosed master. Two of his white gloves tangled with each other, and they made a small platform made of fingers that allowed him to rest his chin on.

"I must ask; how are you faring in his world, my dear?" Minato turned to the girl seated beside him, her bright crimson eyes a huge contrast to the azure gloss of the room.

In response to his question, the girl beamed, her shoulders heightening slightly as he watched auburn hair bob up and down. Before she could answer, he knew.

She fit in right after a week.

Mitsuru, as expected of the student council president, had made the necessary arrangements for the newest member of SEES' acceptance to Gekkoukan High. Most students had thought it was strange for a girl to transfer near October, but they, especially the men, didn't mind.

The blue-haired teen had expected no less. They were sucked right into the brunette's charm. It wasn't surprising how even the girls thought no ill will of her despite her popularity with the guys. Minako Arisato was as radiant as the summer sun, and the people round her were akin to a patch of sunflowers, all leaning forward to bask in her light.

The dormitory had become considerably livelier, as well.

One would have thought that, after desperately searching for her without any clues, Minato Arisato would be the first in line to demand for her attention. However, he was—in fact—satisfied at the thought that his other half was close by, under his watchful eye. Her presence was enough to reassure him and to drive the monsters away.

But despite feeling content, the girl was determined to stick by him anyway, always dragging him along during lunch, inviting him out after school, and knocking on his door in the evening. Even the stars peeking into his window seemed alive to him these days, and that fact that a hand was waving exaggeratedly in front of his face wasn't enough to snap him out of his—

"Earth to Minato-kun."

—reverie.

"Minato—o-kun."

_Hmm? Oh,yeah. That's me._

Minato had been lying on his bed, glinting at the stars through his window. He turned around, shifting his gaze from it to meet bright, crimson eyes, inches away from his gray ones. Her usual uniform-esque get up wasn't present, and replaced by a set of loose, butterfly-printed pajamas in its stead.

"Minato," he corrected. For some reason he felt as if she was obliged to call him only by his first name, without the honorifics.

It made her pull back, laughing, afterwards sitting by his feet on the bed. "Right. Minato, sorry. Wha'cha up to? Aside from nothing, that is."

She certainly was a curious one. From the first night to present, she hadn't failed to knock on his door and check on the quiet boy, bringing along her cheerful smile and upbeat disposition. He didn't mind, but all residents of the Iwatodai dorms were aware that their leader valued his 'alone time' very much, so he wasn't used to all the attention that he'd been receiving for the past week.

"I was daydreaming."

"At night?"

He paused, and then nodded.

"Oka—ay then," she said, and Minato leaned against the wall, his elbow resting on a pillow as he watched the girl curiously. She was seemingly digging into her pockets for something, and when her eyes lit up, he figured she'd found the said thing. He saw her face break into a smile, one that showed no signs of fuss or defeat, but one which creased the skin beneath her scarlet eyes and lifted her cheeks that deemed her the happiest girl in the world. "Well, since you're alive and awake"—the brunette held out her closed hand, fingers slowly uncurling to reveal half of a crimson key—"I was wondering if you had any idea what this is?"

"Oh."

He had almost forgotten about that.

"'_Oh'_? That's all you have to say?" She said almost ruefully, raising a brow at his apathetic demeanor.

Minato raised one finger in the air, as if telling her to 'wait, young grasshopper, patience is a virtue that nobody can replace'. He could feel her gaze following him as he rose from his bed and sauntered over to his desk, opening the first drawer. He handed her half of the key without moving from his place.

The corners of her lips lifted up and revealed a small smile, causing the boy to raise a brow. "Half, huh?" she said softly, almost a whisper. "I'm not surprised."

In all of his indifference he silently agreed, resisting the urge to mirror her grin.

The crimson key was held together by her right hand's two, slender fingers, the azure one in the left. The former was cut from the lower part and the latter from the topmost. Undoubtedly, they fit together like a perfectly-made puzzle. It truly was a mystery.

"Think it'll work?" She asked in a curious tone, and shook her head when he responded with a mere shrug. "Nevermind. Here goes…"

He felt his shoulders tense at the sudden realization that they were bringing these two halves together, that it meant hastening their uncertain future. He didn't know what it meant for him or her, but the idea that it could shorten the amount of time he could spend with his counterpart was unthinkable.

Minato had his doubts that this sense of security would last forever.

Even so, he couldn't bring himself to stop her. It crossed his mind to pull her hands away from each other to prevent the keys from forming, but his mind had won over his heart. This was probably the right thing to do.

The two pieces drew closer, while his breath drew to a close.

But his lips parted, and he prepared to speak. He couldn't hold off what he wanted to say, that the word almost blurted out of his mouth.

"Sto—"

"_Aaaahhh_!"

He started, silver eyes widening at the girl's abrupt rise. Panic sated her voice, her chocolate hair a tangled mess, and her lips twisting in anxiety. The blue-haired teen stared up and shot her a marginally confused glance.

"I forgot that we had an essay due tomorrow! Sorry Minato-kun! Maybe another time!"

The boy watched her dash clumsily to his door, mumbling something along the lines of 'I haven't even begun writing that piece of… and a word that should never be uttered in the presence of children'.

"It's Minato…"

He trailed off, waiting for the door to swing back into a close, and reveled in the silence that followed soon after. He released his breath as a sign of relief.

Relief?

_From what, exactly?_

"I see. I'm glad that you find his world to be quite exciting, my dear, but let me say something beforehand;"

Minato was once again broken from his reverie. The plain, gray walls of his room were inadvertently replaced by a couple of white spheres with small dots in their centers. They turned out to be eyes, belonging to the master of the Velvet Room. They were so large that they were enough to fill his entire line of vision, and he found it slightly amusing.

He turned to his left to see Minako leaning towards the lushly-covered table, seemingly indifferent to her surroundings as she was too immersed in her conversation with the peculiar-nosed man.

"I'd advise you not to get _too_ used to the place," he said. "I'm sure you are aware that—"

"I know," was her immediate reply.

Hearing that, it was Minato's turn to speak. "Is there something that I should know about?"

The girl creased her usually upturned eyebrows, wrinkled her nose to show her disapproval of the matter at hand. "No, Minato-kun, I…"

"More importantly," Elizabeth interjected. "We had originally planned to discuss about your gift." Gift? Oh. "You see, both of you possess the power to wield multiple Personae."

Somehow he wasn't surprised.

"Something wrong with that?" he asked.

"Of course, you cannot expect one Persona to answer your call at the same time. They are, after all, one and _only_ one. Without duplicates."

The girl nodded knowingly. "I see. But what about Orpheus?"

"His Orpheus and yours are different. They represent both of you and thus, they are each other's counterparts, as well," Igor said. "You may summon them without qualms."

Minato might have to reorganize his battle plan before their next trip to Tartarus. As much as there were advantages, there were disadvantages, for certain. And just as he was about to spend the next few minutes arguing with himself about whether to put the newcomer in the front lines or not, Igor slid his palm across the table, entering the boy's line of vision.

"I suppose you don't need to be reminded of the upcoming… event this coming October?" Igor asked.

Minato shook his head calmly. There was an upcoming full moon, and he had to be ready for whatever was coming. His head shifted slightly to his left, and he regarded the girl with his peripheral vision. There's also the fact that he had to see how Minako fared during battle, but he had a feeling that there was no need to worry about that.

She was staring, he wasn't quite certain if she was looking at the two denizens of the room or just into space, for Minako had this blank expression occupying her features.

Was she worried about something?

"Please! I'm begging you!"

"Nope. Serves you right for being careless."

"But… but… we're friends, aren't we?"

Junpei, kneeling on one corner of the classroom, and Minako standing in front of him with both of her fists pressed to her waist—this had been the scene that Minato Arisato walked into first thing in the morning. He blinked twice, attempting to decipher the figures before him, and was about to give up when Yukari rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Stupei forgot to do his homework, so he's asking Minako-chan to let him copy his," she said with a hint of disappointment in her voice. The archer brought a hand to her face, while the leader went ahead and dropped his bag on his seat. He rummaged his pockets for his music player, planning to drown out Junpei's pleading voice along with his excuses.

"You shouldn't have forgotten, then!" He heard the crimson-eyed girl say.

Even though you almost forgot to do it, yourself, he thought.

"I can hear your thoughts, Minato!" The girl called from the back of the room. "Don't you dare tell anyone what happened last night!"

Cue fits of controversial murmuring.

"Wh-wh-what are you talking about, Minako-chan?" Yukari slammed her hands into her desk, afterwards turned on her heel to face the other brunette. Her face had this hint of aggravation, and her cheeks were beet red. "You're telling me that you… with him… after having known him for only a…"

Oh dear.

"Dude, why's it always gotta be you?" The earlier distant voice of Junpei was suddenly right next to his ear, although he still assumed the position that Minato saw him as he walked into the room this morning. "On the first day of school… it was Yuka-tan, and now-!"

And so it begins.

The ball-capped boy's comment prompted Yukari to grace him with a right hook. "I'm telling you that_ that_ was a misunderstanding!"

"So tell me, Minako-chan, is it true? Did you really?" Junpei turned to the girl in question, ignoring the plight of the archer to listen. His hand outstretched and he pointed a finger at the blue-haired male. "With our leader right here?"

Apparently, the actions of their classmate weren't akin to Minako's understanding, causing her to raise a conspicuous brow at the teen. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"About last night!" Yukari chimed in.

"O—h, last night, huh? Last night was a bit… nerve-wrecking, so to speak."

Cue infinite amount of gasps from the residents of the room.

And Minato slapped a hand to his face. "You've got it all wrong," he spoke for the first time today, tone monotonous.

"Are you saying you weren't nervous, Minato?"

Well…

"You actually wanted it to happen, didn't you?"

It was only out of curiosity, and if it meant being able to get access to the Velvet Room again once the keys were whole, then he certainly wouldn't forbid it.

"Maybe I shouldn't have left your room at that point, then?" She said, sauntering to her seat and flopping down next to him.

Crimson eyes caught his gaze, and they had such a tight hold him that he couldn't bring himself to look away.

"Maybe we should try again later today?"

Was he willing to go through with it, after all the doubts that knotted his mind last night? Why was he so cautious of the fact that her presence could be so easily taken away from him? It wasn't as if she was going anywhere.

Nobody had the slightest idea of what he thought of her, and neither did he.

Perhaps he was over-thinking things. As obscure as the future seemed, there wasn't any proof that bringing the two pieces together would accomplish anything. Igor himself had told them that this had nothing to do with the rectifying of the paradox, so what was he worried about?

Minato Arisato, after thinking it over, silently nodded over the symphony of the crowd's cheer. His counterpart released a small laugh and returned the gesture.

"So you're going to do it again tonight?" Junpei asked rather loudly.

Minako blinked a couple of times, and tilted her head with a smile. "Yep!"

The blue-haired boy slapped a hand to his face for the second time.

"Now that you have access to the Velvet Room once again, we are very much willing to help you in any way we can," Igor's voice broke throughout the silence of the room. There was uncertainty in his tone, and that was something new. Minato had always been under the impression that the master knew almost everything, and just chose not to tell them for his own enjoyment. "Although it appears that you cannot use the key without the owners of both halves."

So they had to enter together, he concluded.

The two wild cards sat there quietly, the girl with her hands pressed against both edges of her seat while the boy had both shoved directly into his pockets. Both were confident about the situation just that one was painfully obvious, and the other a bit more reserved.

About an hour ago, they were standing in front of the Velvet Door, both uncertain and the reassurances that they had now been absent, enclosed in the shadows of the alley at the northern part of the mall. They held their respective keys—half of it, at least—in their own hands, a battle raging within their minds.

"Come on," she said softly, her reassuring gaze boring into his unsettled one. "It'll be fine."

After a few minutes passed, he nodded slightly—everything was slight with him, after all—and cradled half of the key carefully in his pale hand. She did the same, and the nostalgic feeling of looking into a mirror invaded his mind. He could tell she felt similarly, as well.

Her fingers trailed against his palm, curling around it before her grip tightened, but not enough to hurt him. She pulled his hand closer to hers and eventually brought the half of each key together.

_Click._

As if gears had started turning, the now completed puzzle piece hovered above their entangled hands. The dark alley flooded with light, all because of the illuminated key floating right into their eye-level. The bright glows of crimson and azure were in constant combat, as if they were deciding on what color the final product was to be and, as if they had come to a ceasefire, simply settled on working together…

…forming a beautiful shade of violet.

The light dissolved into a faint purple, focusing its beam only on the key and thus blanketing the alley with shadows once again. After the display was over, he could hear the deafening sound of silence permeating the backstreet more than ever, and that very silence was broken by the melodic tone of her voice. Thankfully.

"Not bad, if I do say so myself," she grinned at him while holding the purple key. "Nothing nasty happened, either."

He let out a sigh, and jerked his head towards the door. Minako nodded and pushed the key into the slit, turned it carefully to the right, and the door slid open with a creak.

An all-too familiar voice followed, welcoming them into the Velvet Room, and that's when they found themselves inside, discussing the pros and cons of their shared power and what their destiny may bring.

"Is there anything else that you'd like to know?"

Minato looked up, breaking away from his thoughts a third time, and shook his head. But then his eyes lit up as if to change his mind. "What about the paradox?" he asked.

"That is something out of _our_ hands, but not yours. We trust that you'll be able to resolve this matter, so long as you work together."

Great.

By the time they got out of the Velvet Room, it was a little past eight. There were only a few people present, although the same couldn't be said inside the bar. He walked out of the alleyway while the girl followed after him in silence. He turned around and saw her pause.

"Should we head home?"

She seemed reluctant.

"Already?"

He raised a brow at the small figure before him.

"Why don't we stay for a while longer?"

"We have school tomorrow."

"A few minutes, then?" she pleaded.

Minato hesitated for a moment, then eyed the unoccupied bench next to the glistening fountain. He motioned towards it, hands in his pockets, still, and the girl beamed a smile that reached her ears. He decided that he very much liked her smile, and was thankful for the fact that she did so quite often.

"What's school like for you, Minato-ku"—she abruptly closed her mouth, balking, and opened them again. "Minato?"

His shoulders lifted for a swift, shrugging motion, followed by the pursing of his lips in preparation for blowing a few strands of blasted azure hair marring his vision. He blew, only to find it futile as the strands fell back into place. "Nothing special, I guess."

"No friends, aside from Yuka-chan and Junpei-kun?"

"A… few," he said, picturing quite a number of people from a few clubs, the student council and outside the school. Perhaps saying that he only had a few was a lie.

"You're popular, you know," she said that as if he actually cared. He stayed silent, and she continued, voice cheery as if teasing. "I can hear students talking about you during break, saying how you're so mysterious and cool and handsome and all."

Minato looked up at the almost full moon, and sighed. "The real mystery is you." He heard her laugh.

"What's so mysterious about me? Aren't I an open book?"

If that were true, then he wouldn't be so drawn to her. If there were things he wanted to know about a person, all he had to do was observe them quietly from a distance, studying their mannerisms, and he'd know. But this girl was different. She'd smile, let her expression show the thoughts she'd wanted others to see, as if she chose to be an open book to hide something else.

She knew there were monsters inside of him, but what about her?

"On the other side of the mirror…" he began, leaning forward and settling monochrome eyes on the crimson-eyed mystery seated beside him. His mouth dangled open, yet the words trailed off and refused to return.

"Hmm?"

On the other side of the mirror…

In _her_ world…

"Never mind," he shook his head, and for a moment he thought she seemed... disappointed. "The few minutes are up. Let's go."

* * *

**A/N**: Oh, and thank you all very much for the faves and follows. :3 Please don't forget to review. I'd like to know what you guys think.


	7. Trust

**A/N: **To make up for my being slow, here's a fast update. So I'm going to connect everything to the timeline from now on. October 4th's almost here. The actual romance won't start until... well, you'll see.

**Disclaimer**: Don't own it.

* * *

Tomorrow would be the first day of October.

Mitsuru called for an after-school meeting, so all members of SEES had been present inside the living room. She mentioned something about how the chairman had been sulking about being the only person who hadn't met the newcomer as of late, and everyone had been saying how pretty and pleasant she was. So effective immediately, a gathering was arranged the moment he returned to the dorms. Minato, who had been sitting on the couch by the wall, scanned the room and found the majority of his team's faces to be scowling, clearly annoyed at the fact that they had to endure a night of ridiculous puns and pointless chatter. He brought a hand to his face and rubbed a sleepy silver eye awake, only to find that the bright and pleasant ball of sunshine wasn't so… pleasant in her seat.

"You okay?"

The sudden question caused the brunette's head to shoot up in an abrupt manner, blinking wine-colored eyes at the boy. She cleared her throat nervously.

"Mhm," she nodded, clearly contradicting her temperament, goading the stone-faced teen to raise a distrusting brow at her little… truth-bending. It was enough to drive him to tear one earpiece off, thus lowering the volume of the current song he'd been listening to. The girl noticed this, and opted to give him a not-so-reassuring smile. "No, really. I'm fine. Uh, what's the date today again?"

His one eyebrow did not lower. "October first."

"Already, huh…"

Her words trailed off like a passing wind, soft as whispers right next to his ear and one minute they were gone, leaving him unsatisfied as she faded into silence. He tilted his head to the side. Something about this month bothered her, but if she wasn't willing to tell him, then there was no point in asking her about it.

"Where _is_ the chairman?" The restless girl asked out loud, directing the question to anybody who was willing to answer inside the room.

"I'm sure he'll get here soon." Fuuka glanced at her and then towards the door with a diffident smile. The Arisatos followed the technician's gaze and, as if on cue, the door swung open with a loud _thud_, the cold October wind rushing into the room caused the students (except for the mechanical maiden of course) to shiver. The chairman rubbed the back of his neck as he entered, quickly scanning around to find the others yelling angry outbursts, telling him to 'close the freaking door'.

"Hello, everyone. I apologize for the trouble, and for arriving on such short notice." Ikutsuki began walking towards the sofa, then stopped short upon noticing the unfamiliar face seated next to the leader. "And hello to you, my dear. Nobody told me that our newest member was such a beautiful young lady. It's nice to meet you Minako-san. I heard your name from Mitsuru in case you were wondering."

In response, the girl in question merely nodded.

"My name is Shuji Ikutsuki. Quite hard to say, isn't it? It's the reason why I'm not fond of introducing myself."

Yukari rolled her eyes and slanted next to Minako. "Oh, and before you freak out, let me give you a warning; he likes making lame puns all the time, so don't pay any attention to him."

"Now that is just mean, Yukari-san. My jokes are quite funny. You know once, I did a theatrical performance on puns. Really, it was just a play on words." He broke into fits of hysterical laughter. "Ha—get it? '_Play'_ on '_words'_?"

Minato almost smiled at how his friends all sighed in perfect sync.

"Erm, all kidding aside, I'm only here to welcome you, Minako-san. Sure enough, you'll make a fine addition to the team. Do you have any questions that you'd like to ask me before I leave?"

"Thank you, mister chairman, but I'm fine. Mitsuru-senpai was good at explaining things down to the very last detail. It was nice meeting you, too." The girl told him softly. A little _too_ soft, in Minato's taste.

"Now, I do have other matters to attend to, so I'm going to make like a bee and—mpffft—buzz off! I am, after all, a very—hehe—busy bee!" He couldn't quite contain his laughter, even after leaving the room.

When the dorm fell into complete silence, Yukari was the first to release a sigh of relief. "Ugh, does he ever stop?"

"Give the guy a break, Yuka-tan. It's his only joy in life." Junpei called from the dining room. "Leave him"—he snickered—"bee."

At that instant, a pillow flew rapidly from across the room and into the boy's face, followed by Yukari's high-pitched growl. "If you don't quit it with the puns, I'm so going to kill you, Stupei!"

Eventually, everyone erupted into laughter. Even the tireless Mitsuru-senpai freed a chuckle or two. Minato remembered to plug his earphones back on to completely drown out the noise, but stopped midway when he came to the sudden realization that Minako was, uncharacteristically, not joining in on the fun. He could honestly just bide time as it was, watching his friends goof around as the clock ticked idly by, each second a tad nearer towards the upcoming full moon. But he couldn't, or rather, _wouldn't_ allow himself to. Not until the brunette shook the dismal demeanor off her system. Minato elbowed her lightly on the shoulder, waiting until she looked up at him before giving her a curious glance.

"I…" She looked down on her twiddling thumbs. This time, the dazed expression that occupied her features was replaced by a flash of… anger? Frustration? Minato wasn't quite sure, but the emotion certainly was strong. "I just… don't like October, that's all. And I don't like lame puns."

Sighing to himself, he ignored Junpei's cry of pain in the background and turned off his music player, showing his other half that she had his full attention. "Oh?"

"What is _up_ with you and your 'oh's?"

He chuckled softly, enthralled by the vigor returning to her voice. She found herself laughing as well, but not quite as long as she usually would have. He followed her gaze, and he realized how her crimson hues had been fixated on her maroon coat-wearing senior. Shinjiro was quietly minding his own business, standing on one corner and avoiding the juniors as they were clowning about. Minato was about to question her sudden interest in their occasional cook when he was cut-off by the melancholy in her tone.

"I'm… not allowed to interfere," she said, tearing her gaze away from Shinjiro and then sighed. "It might worsen the paradox. I mean—sure, nothing's happening right now, but who knows _what'll_ happen if—"

"_You_ do."

She blinked. "Huh?"

"_You_ know what'll happen on the night of this full moon."

Minako faltered. It was clear to him that she did, but Minako went on as if he hadn't said anything at all. Her fingers traced the wire of her own red earphones, lifting both pieces to cover her ears. But he stopped her.

Something in his gaze prompted the girl to give in.

"I do know," she admitted. "But telling you won't change a thing. It has to happen and it will."

What was she so afraid of happening that it would deprive her of her pleasant smile? He wanted to ask. He parted his lips to speak, but seeing the pain in her crimson eyes, the slight tremble of her lips was enough for him to back away. She smiled, noting his reservations, and nodded. He nodded back, and felt her hand resting gently on top of his.

"Tomorrow," he said, surprising the others with how loud his voice was. Well—not really, but it was an unusual volume for the blue-haired boy. Minato cleared his throat with unease and continued. "We'll head to Tartarus."

The party spent the next couple of nights exploring the inscrutable hallways of Tartarus, under the mellow guidance of their calm and collected leader. The first night, he tested the waters, surveyed how it would affect the team if Minako were to join the exploration. She appeared to be experienced enough on the battlefield, catching the others by surprise as they caught glimpse of the tip of her Naginata's blade, which she wielded proudly. Akihiko mentioned something about how useful it was, having two members possessing the ability to summon multiple Personae, and how he felt confident about the approaching ordeal.

On the field, it would only take Minako a glance from their leader to know which moves to execute, which enemies to attack and when _not _to attack, earning them the title of 'the unbeatable Mina-duo', nominated proudly by the one and only Junpei Iori.

That was why, on the morning of October Third, he told the others that he wanted to try something new.

"Split into two groups?" Yukari bellowed right beside the entrance to the lounge, next to the bar. Her hands were glued to her waist to express her disapproval on the subject. "That's insane! Who would take command of the other group, then?"

Akihiko hummed quietly, rubbing his chin with a gloved hand before exposing a confident smirk. "I think that goes without question."

"You're not thinking…"

Everybody, including Minato, stared at the newcomer. It took her a while to notice them. "W-Wait, I—"

"Somehow it makes sense," Fuuka mused. "Minako-chan seems pretty skilled with her weapon of choice, and she and Minato-kun _do_ work pretty well together."

Yukari frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. "They work well 'together'. But out there, she'll be on her own!"

"She won't be on her own," Junpei protested, then stole a glance at the brunette and winked. "We'll be there to back her up, won't we?"

Minato wasn't planning on joining in on the debate. He only opted to suggest the idea, but let the others decide on its finality. Apparently, he and his counterpart were on the same page, as they caught each other's gazes from across the room. He saw her smile and nod, knowing that the girl trusted him enough to call the shots on the battle field. Content, he shoved both hands into his pockets and waited for the others to make their decision. However, Minato noticed another member of the team who wasn't joining in on the debate. And understandably so, given that that figure was none other than Aigis.

The mechanical maiden was acting strange, though. He watched cerulean eyes shift from him, and occasionally, towards his other half. It surprised him how unsettled she seemed, since Aigis was just as indifferent to her emotions as _he_ was, and the fact that she seemed to be fretting over both him and the brunette was a concerning thought.

"Okay, okay, _fine_." Yukari threw her hands over her head in defeat, apparently having talked into agreeing with the earlier suggestion of splitting up into two. "I know when I'm outvoted. Pssh. Count me in."

Interestingly, Mitsuru thought it was a splendid idea, pointing out how having two groups meant being able to explore better ground, and that they'd be able to use all members efficiently. Of course, she consorted under the agreement that everyone took care not to push themselves, for they needed to be ready on the night of the full moon.

"Alright. Later tonight, we'll be venturing into Tartarus again. Be ready, everyone." Mitsuru announced, and the others responded with several 'yes ma'ams'. "Now hurry or you'll all be late for school."

The two Arisatos arrived together at the school gate. Minato was the first to notice Aigis standing idly by as the students flowed in. The blonde flexed her head slowly, blue eyes wide and focused on the two wild cards about to enter the school premises.

"The Lost seem to be growing in number," she said.

Minato shrugged. "I didn't notice."

"I cannot explain why, but our highest priority should be eliminating the remaining Shadows. The moon will be full tomorrow. I shall accompany you both in battle," she said, tone flat and rhythmic as a steady drum. "It does not matter which team I am on, but I request to be part of the exploration team later tonight."

"Are you nervous?" Minako asked, surprising him a little.

Aigis shook her head. "Negative. However, I am apprehensive about your well-being, Minako-san. Both of you. I also cannot explain why, but I feel the need to be by your side as much as Minato-san's, as well."

He had been confused over the robot's protectiveness over him since the beginning, but Minako seemed perfectly comfortable with that idea.

"I'm glad to hear that, Aigis. Let's help each other out there, okay?"

"Yes."

Nodding, the blonde turned around and started to walk towards the building. Minato and Minako followed suit.

He couldn't remember much about what Miss Toriumi talked about in class, but he did recall her mentioning something about exams. He honestly couldn't care less about how superb some passage about 'wit over humiliation' was. Page one twenty something.

The next time he felt fully alert was when an eerie emerald green bleached the entire sky, and when the ground appeared to bleed, creating several puddles of crimson blood—at least, that's what he assumed those blotches were.

"Well? We're here." The reluctant archer folded her arms and seated herself at the lower steps of Tartarus' entrance. "Let's get this over with."

"I want to be on Minako-chan's team!" Junpei raised an arm along his declaration.

Minato glanced back at Mitsuru, who was tinkering with her specially-modified motorcycle that somehow worked during the Dark Hour, then towards Fuuka, who was just about to summon Juno when he approached her.

"What do you think?"

Fuuka jumped and slammed a hand to her chest attempting to calm her stammering heart. "Oh! U-Um, what do _I_ think? I think…" She started to survey the team beyond Minato's shoulder, smiling nervously. "I think Akihiko-senpai compliments her fighting style really well, so as long as he's on her team, she'll be fine. If anything, Minako-chan can assume the role of the healer if the need arises. From what I've seen, she has a lot of stamina, so she'll be a lot of help in the long run." He watched her release a deep breath. "Uh, at least… that's what _I_ think."

"Akihiko-senpai?"

"He can be really reckless, don't you think?"

He nodded.

"For the two days that Minako-chan's been on the field, I've noticed how he's become more aware of his surroundings. It's probably his instincts as a senior kicking in. After all, Minako-chan is new to the team. A-And she's a girl."

Interesting.

"Yo, leader." Junpei called. "Aren't you forgetting something? You know, that thing where you pick who's going with who?"

Before he could amble towards his impatient team, Fuuka stopped him by resting a hand on his shoulder. Her voice was almost a whisper when she spoke. "I realize you're worried about her, Minato-kun. You two seem so close, but I think she'll be just fine. She's as calm as you on the battlefield. Maybe even calmer."

Minato paused, taking note of everything he heard. There was some truth to that statement. Minako certainly was cool-headed during battles. For what it's worth, she could possibly be the most experienced out of everyone, and the thought was confusing to him. Where could she have learned how to wield a Naginata in this day and age? But never mind that. The Dark Hour whittled away the longer they loitered by the entrance, and he had made up his mind.

One look at her, and then they nod together.

He trusted her to make the right decisions, and if there were circumstances where she hid things about herself beneath the shadows, Minato would try to understand. Secrets always had reasons to be hid, and if they were to be unveiled, they would over time.

Minato Arisato would wait until she told him everything, and until then, he'd leave everything in her hands.

* * *

**A/N**: The romance is pretty slow, huh? Sorry about that.


	8. The Fourth of October

**A/N**: Lots of scene changes. Lots of fighting. Hope it doesn't get confusing.

**Disclaimer**: Don't own it.

* * *

Signs of the Dark Hour showed. The glowing, yellow orb looming over the Iwatodai dormitory forebode warning and, looking at his friend's faces—and hers—was evidence enough that something was coming.

Everyone except for Ken and Shinjiro had gathered in the meeting room.

"I've located the target." Fuuka had Lucia summoned; her soft and wary voice invaded their minds. "It's in the plaza in front of Iwatodai Station!"

The chairman fiddled with the cuffs of his suit in anxiety, although to be honest, Minato couldn't see the point in Ikutsuki being nervous. "This will be the tenth… only a few left, but let's worry about them one at a time."

"…Assuming they come one at a time," The archer giggled. "Just kidding."

But at the words spoken, Fuuka turned to meet the archer's gaze. Telepathically, she said; "Yukari-chan, how did you know?! I sense two of them!"

"Are you _serious_? Me and my big mouth…"

Akihiko looked around, asking for the whereabouts of Shinjiro. The boxer looked worried for a moment, but it quickly dissipated once Fuuka told him that his childhood friend would catch up a little later. Minato sighed, leaning against one of the computers and stealing a glance at his counterpart.

The statement that slightly eased Akihiko's worries failed to wipe the concern off Minako's grim features.

"Wait," said Yukari. "Ken-kun isn't here, either… Hey Junpei, go get him. That'll be your punishment for last time."

Minato knew that, by 'last time', Yukari meant Junpei's absence during the previous operation, but that wasn't entirely his fault…

"Hello? I was tied up, remember?" Junpei let out a cry of protest. "Sheesh, give a guy a break—a punishment? What is this, _kindergarten_?" He sighed. "That little shit is more trouble than he's worth."

He got to his feet and stormed off the room, mumbling obscenities along the way. The sound of his footsteps seemed to echo across the silence and added to the tension building among the others. Mitsuru gave the order to move out, and in their hurry, she and the team arrived at the station in almost no time at all. Junpei, who was the last to arrive, announced that 'the little bugger' couldn't be found in his room.

Minato heard Akihiko mutter a curse under his breath.

Yukari spotted the two Shadows in the middle of the station and pointed them out.

"Um, I think we should hurry… They look like they're about to make their move." Fuuka said meekly, followed by Mitsuru's nod of agreement.

They all turned to the blue-haired boy with expectation in their eyes. It was time to choose the team for tonight's operation. It was especially difficult to choose today, since they were down by two members.

Correction: _Three_ members.

"Where's Minako?" he asked, unmoving, but his gaze shifted from right to left.

"There's no time for that—here they come!" In his haste, Akihiko balled his hands into fists and ordered everyone to heighten their senses.

Before them, two beings larger than the buildings round towered over the team. One was rather stout and the other was akin to a chess piece's horse. Minato's leather shoes screeched against the asphalt floor, as swiftly drew his sword. There was a sharp glint on his eye. The others followed suit and readied their weapons.

"I'll keep you informed," Fuuka said telepathically. "Be careful!"

As if having known that the battle had begun, the Strength Shadow raised a small hand up in the air. The winds seemed to be under its command, and soon enough, crimson flower petals emerged from the whirlwind, surrounding Fortune. Minato immediately sensed that something was amiss.

"I don't detect Fortune anymore! The Strength one must have done something, so you can't attack it right now"—Fuuka announced, confirming his thoughts—"Concentrate on the other one for now!"

His hands clenched around the handle of his sword, determination setting on his steel hues. Minato let the tip of his blade grate the floor as he walked, careful strides turning into a sprint. He raised his blade, called for an order to concentrate on exposing the enemy's weakness, and prepared to strike.

* * *

Minako stood by the fountain with crimson eyes fastened on the entrance to the alley. It was the area most engulfed in darkness out of the entirety of Paulownia Mall, where everything had been captured by the Dark Hour. Paying no heed to the transmogrified coffins scattered about, the girl ambled towards the exit of the mall, biting her lower lip in anxiety.

Her destination was Port Island Station.

Deep down, the girl knew her actions would cause him trouble. Igor had been clear to warn her about the dangers of interfering with the affairs of the people from this universe. Minako cursed her own stubbornness, fleeing into the road in a full jog, closing her eyes as if doing so would shut out any forthcoming pain. But it wasn't enough. It was never enough. The guilt persisted and would stay there forever, never leaving, never fading.

Suddenly a thought crossed her mind that, perhaps, she had come to this world seeking comfort from _him_.

But she refuted that thought the moment her crimson eyes opened, the station coming into view.

_Behind this place, those two…_

She was told not to interfere.

But a voice—Ken's—traveled from deep within the station and reached her ears, carrying a low, firm tone.

"You came…"

It felt wrong for a child's voice to be this threatening. She had an idea as to whom he was speaking with, and every second spent anticipating the turn of events sent stabbing sensations into her chest. Minako carried on, a hand on the wall to help her along, and heaved. The child's voice could be heard again.

"I'm surprised you abandoned the operation. Do you know why I asked you to meet me here?"

Ragged breathings echoed through the narrow path. The brunette almost ran into a trash bin in her haste, but she never dared slow down to catch her breath.

"Two years ago… today… October fourth. That was the day my mom died here."

There was a slight pause.

"They called it an accident," Ken continued. "But it _wasn't._ I saw the whole thing."

She clenched her fist and let it trail along the walls as she ran.

"You _murdered_ her!"

It was her first time hearing Ken's voice roar that way—full of hatred and doubt. She thought to call out to them, even opened her mouth to do so, but no words rolled off her tongue. Not even a sound.

"Since then, it's been one bad thing after another. All I get from people is sympathy, no matter where I go.

He should have known that to be false.

"I thought about killing myself… but mom wouldn't have wanted that, that's why—"

At this point, the girl had stopped listening. Her focus didn't stray from running, ignoring the concept of stealth, uncaring about the trash that flew all over because of her rampant race against time. It was a wonder how no one had noticed her yet, with all the noise she made.

"I'm gonna kill you!"

Fear.

She felt it.

Strongly.

And it escalated quickly from her shoulders to the tips of her fingers, worsening upon hearing her senpai's voice for the first time tonight.

"…Do it," he said, and her world had fallen apart.

The familiar coat of maroon hue entered her line of vision; both the child and her senior's grim faces emerged from the corner. Crimson irises caught glimpse of the glimmer on the tip of the boy's spear. She marked his small hands, clenched around the pole of his elongated weapon, still, but aimed.

The air brimmed with hatred and once again, guilt.

And with a bloodcurdling scream, a flash of white light fencing her in, she vanished without a trace into the dead of the night.

* * *

"What the…?"

Junpei let his Two-handed sword rest vertically on the ground before adjusting his cap to the side for a better view. Minato took note of this and glanced back at their enemies, who were acting a bit peculiar.

A shadow, round in shape, covered the floor. He looked up to discover something circular falling from the sky, and immediately ordered everyone to back away. His peripheral vision told him that Junpei was taking a bit too long with his retreat, so when he turned to look at the ball-capped boy, Minato gritted his teeth and quickened his pace towards his comrade.

"Crap, this is—"

Before Junpei could finish his sentence, Minato had already leapt and tackled him towards the opposite direction, his breathing cut short as their backs rammed against the floor. A second later, and they would have been flattened by a …giant roulette table… that fell to the center of Iwatodia Station.

Minato stood up and patted one sleeve clean, afterwards staring at the boy sitting on the ground with his usual, stoic features. He lifted his sword slightly, aiming the tip of its blade towards Junpei's two-handed sword, and raised a brow.

"Don't let go of that again," he said, and left Junpei with a bewildered expression on his face, giving him no time to respond.

"What the heck is that?" Yukari bellowed from afar.

"A… roulette wheel." Akihiko clicked his tongue, his shoulders tensing. "I think."

The 'wheel' painted in red and blue started to spin. Slowly, at first, and then it began picking up speed.

"That wheel's effects depend on where it stops," said Fuuka. "Red is for bad luck… I hope it doesn't come up."

The wheel's spinning had started to slow down…

His hands fiddled with the holster on his right thigh. Once it opened, Minato quickly drew his Evoker and pressed its tip onto his right temple.

Red passed the arrow.

So did blue.

It passed red again.

As it slowed down, it spun over several reds and blues that kept the others on their toes, but to rid the audience of suspense, Fuuka declared the roulette to have stopped at red.

And Junpei groaned. "Fuck, man. S'gonna happen now?"

"I'm not quite sure," whispered Mitsuru. "But don't let your guard down."

Silence lingered for a while, but not for long, as a loud noise shattered the quiet—piercing all members with a sudden shot of pain. The majority couldn't help but drop to one knee. Minato took note of their massive trembling, and did his best to hold his ground.

"…The hell… was that?" Akihiko's voice was almost inaudible in the midst of all the anguish. "I… can barely move…"

Minato felt similarly, and scanned the area to check if the others had been luckier. Unfortunately, they all boarded the same boat. He heard the clinking of metal against asphalt, several weapons dropping to the ground, except for one.

Deep, cerulean irises, narrowed and dilated, recognized the threat before them. Everything about her was firm and hard as a rock save for the strands of short, citreous hair. Gears turned, rifles reloaded, a quick glance at the person whom she swore to protect, and back at the beings that threatened that very person, caused the maiden to release a low growl.

"When you fall… get right back up."

* * *

A voice.

"Kill me," it said.

And then another.

"Don't cry," this one said.

They were voices of the two people that meant the world to her. They filled her ears with overwhelming volume that rendered her unable to hear anything else. She couldn't see anything else either, only pure white.

"Don't cry."

Was she crying? But when her hand reached up to touch her face, nothing was felt. She couldn't tell, couldn't feel anything at all.

"Kill me, and you won't have to suffer."

Be a murderer? Could she possibly do that?

"Don't cry. This is how it should be."

Yesteryear, perhaps a decade, or a century, at the true times when these words were uttered, none of it made any sense. Only curiosity would render her eyes, and usually, those people noticed. The idea of accepting the tragic fate of loved ones was incomprehensible to her, and as the appointed leader, she worked impossibly hard to keep all of them safe.

She loved them all, so very much.

The never forgotten memories swept across the tide of her consciousness, buried into the sea of what she thought to be her pain. The whole thing was quite poetic, really, how everything seemed to be vast representations of what she felt.

Happiness.

Guilt.

Bittersweet memories of that fateful day.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Minako came to an abrupt turn, suddenly finding herself inside the dormitory lounge. Shinjiro had been staring at her as if his kouhai had gone insane, like he always had whenever she dragged him into the kitchen for a cooking spree.

"Se… senpai? Is this the dorm?"

He chuckled. "Where else would it be? I'm kind of worried that you're wearing that blank stare instead of pestering me to cook for everybody again."

"I…" She faltered, cowering under his inquisitive gaze. Minako cast her head down to stare at the carpeted floor.

"Mm, maybe you're just hungry. Come on," said Shinjiro, pulling her towards the kitchen. "I'll whip up something nice for you."

Normally, Minako Arisato would be overjoyed at the fact that she was reveling in the presence of her senpai, but under such circumstances the moment seemed too good to be true.

Then again, the idea of travelling to an alternate universe seemed much more farfetched than the former.

What was she supposed to believe?

Shinjiro did his thing, where his hands gracefully danced across the counter, never hesitating with their movements as he combined each ingredient into a magical cuisine, supposedly, if an omelette was to be considered a cuisine… at all. But if it were made by her senpai, it was pretty much so.

Minako brought the food to the dining table, sat, clasped her hands together and murmured the word _'itadakimasu'_. Shinjiro chose the seat adjacent to her and merely watched as she dug in.

"Aren't you going to eat, senpai," she asked in between spoonfuls. "It's pretty good."

He shook his head. "Nah, I'm not hungry. And of course it's good, idiot. I'm the one who made it, after all."

What roared through the quiet halls of the dining room was her soft laughter, seemingly louder from the absence of the other residents of the dorms. Moments like these, where Minako sat with Shinjiro, eating the food he cooked especially for her, these were moments cherished and wished would last forever.

Of course, that was impossible.

"Your cooking really is the best." Minako grinned and set the fork down on her plate. He looked the other way, an apparent shade of red staining his cheeks.

"Y-You're exaggerating," he said, covering his mouth with one hand. "So quit it."

"Alright, but you'll have to promise to stay."

He blinked. "What?"

Present memories began to fade.

"You'll stay. You promise, right?"

Deep down, the girl was aware of the fact that she had to stop now, or be forever lost in this futile façade. Shinjiro creased his brow into a frown, giving her a knowing glance and releasing a disappointed sigh.

"I can't make promises I can't keep."

She huffed. "Why not?"

"Because you'll… cry."

Her hands clenched on the wooden table. The omelette was left unfinished.

"I won't cry."

"Liar," he flicked two fingers onto her forehead and smiled as she yelped. "You'll definitely cry. You're always like that, always so open about your emotions. When you're happy, you'll smile, and cry when you're sad."

His voice sounded a bit… lonely.

"But I wouldn't want to change a thing."

She slammed a fist on the table and came to an abrupt stand. "And you're always so blunt when it comes to others! But when it comes to yourself you're so… so distant! It's really annoying!"

Her enraged expression only worsened when he smiled.

"See? When you're angry, you _really_ get angry."

"I'm not—"

"I guess that's what I… sort of like about you."

She fell to her chair, dumbfounded. A sigh escaped her breath soon after. "Do you enjoy teasing me, senpai?"

"Huh." Shinjiro rested an elbow on the table and cradled his cheek with his palm. "I guess… I do. You bring out the masochist in me."

She raised a brow.

"But enough about me. What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?"

He grunted, annoyed. "I mean what I just said—what the hell are you doing dawdling around in this place when you know very well that you're not supposed to be here?"

She couldn't answer.

"Why the long face, Minako-chan?"

Minako turned at the sound of another voice, gaze settling on the living room door. His trademark yellow scarf hung low, almost to the floor, and they fit to hide his pale neck well.

"Ryoji-ku—"

"You chose to let me live, although against my better judgment, for a reason, didn't you?"

The simper reached his eyes, where a small mole was painted nearby.

"I love that selfless part of you," said Ryoji. "But I love the fire that lights in your captivating eyes the most. You're Minako-chan, the girl who won't let anyone get in her way."

A hint of a smirk played across Shinjiro's lips. "Don't start now, you blockhead."

She nodded.

"And don't cry."

She nodded again, but she was crying, anyway. This time, when Minako brought a hand to her cheek, she felt the tears.

They both waved a hand at her, the most peaceful of grins on their faces.

"This is how it should be."

"Goodbye, my dearest."

And the familiar white glow devoured her once again.

* * *

"Strength is down! But Aigis won't be able to use Orgia mode again!" Fuuka announced telepathically.

Aigis certainly saved the day… erm, night. Had she not stood up like she did, entered the dangerous state of berserk and focused her rage on their enemy, most of them would not have survived through the night. However, the admirable feat rendered her incapable of further function; therefore the team had to take care not to let her overwork herself.

Only Fortune remained.

"All out," Minato ordered.

Junpei laughed and readied his sword. "You said it, buddy!"

The others followed suit. When Minato gave the order, they all bolted towards Fortune screaming their battle cries. Sparks of determination flew across the air, and the team united.

Fortune didn't set up its roulette wheel, and instead sent numerous arrows falling randomly from above. Minato forced himself to think, but they came so fast that all he could do was warn his comrades to watch out.

Some he was able to deflect with his sword, but the arrows were great in number that it wasn't humanly possible to avoid them all. He took one on the shoulder and winced, but made no cry of pain as he pressed the tip of his evoker to his right temple and pulled the trigger.

"Orpheus."

And soon enough, the creature of myth emerged from behind him, bearing its large lute, a red scarf surrounded its neck and unblinking yellow eyes. He let it attack for a while as he checked on the others.

Except for Akihiko, everyone was alright. There were a few gashes on their bodies, but none as serious as the former's.

"Yukari-san, please," he said, nodding to the archer. She mirrored the gesture and proceeded towards Akihiko.

Quite an ordeal.

If only he had more power.

"Minato-kun! Aigis is—!"

He did not wait for Yukari to finish her sentence, and went straight to ascertaining the whereabouts of the blonde, only to discover that the forceful gushes of wind were about to engulf her in her still state, which rendered her in no condition to dodge. Without hesitating, Minato sprinted towards her, knowing full well that he couldn't push her away in time.

"Do not come near!" The blonde hollered in monotone. But he didn't listen. Minato cursed his feet, frustrated at his pace, and decided that his sword was only slowing him down. He threw it to the side.

"It is far too dangerous!"

Voices of concern flooded his ears, but paid no heed to them as he fell to his knees in front of the blonde, pulled her into his arms and gritted his teeth. The wind crashed painfully onto his back and almost blew both of them away, but he used his knees to friction with the ground. He clenched his jaw to suppress the pain.

"Minato-san, my body can be repaired by the Kirijo industries," said Aigis, unmoving. "I do not understand why you would—"

"Because I want to."

Wide, blue eyes blinked at him. "I cannot comprehend."

Ignoring the pain surging through his body, the constant force of the wind pushing them back, his grip on the girl tightened. Minato could barely speak, but he tried his best to explain. "It's… what friends do."

"Leader!" The others cried out.

"Keep attacking!" he ordered.

And they did, albeit reluctantly. Junpei roared, called forth his Persona and sent the command to launch itself onto their enemy. It worked, and the winds surrounding Minato and Aigis died down completely.

Relieved, the leader took a deep breath. He then hoisted his injured friend up and helped her into a relatively safe corner. Minato could still feel her intense gaze on him, but decided not to comment on it any further. He set Aigis aside and limped towards the front lines confidently.

"Is he crazy?" Junpei tipped his hat to the side and pointed at Minato with a bewildered expression on his face.

"You're injured, Arisato!" Mitsuru angrily swung her rapier downwards for emphasis. "Step back!"

Darkness.

It wasn't the scary kind, no. It was the kind of darkness he saw when he had his eyes closed. The cries of his friends faded slowly from a whisper and into complete silence. Only his breathing could be heard.

His fingers twitched, feeling unsatisfied. Where was his sword? Yes, he remembered now. Minato had cast it aside in an attempt to rescue his beloved friend.

The idea of using a sword was cast aside.

It was up to his Persona, now.

But he had Orpheus summoned for a while, and the feat took quite a toll on his mind and body, not to mention that he had to brave the elements for Aigis a few moments back.

Ah, no matter.

Just a little more—he could sense—just a little more and the blasted Fortune would fall.

And then he'd be able to see her again.

"Persona," he called, opening his eyes, and a bright light swamped the entire station.

It didn't matter that his chest was hurting right now.

What mattered was that, Thanatos ripped through his initial Persona and did its job. He gazed weakly at the coffins surrounding its enormous body, at its blurry face marred by a mask.

_Who cares about the pain?_

It didn't matter that his friends were yelling obscenities at him right now.

But he _did_ wonder about her reactions to his injuries when they were to return to the dorms later on.

As Thanatos engulfed Fortune into an endless sea of flames, Minato fell on one knee, one hand clutching his chest. Shadows danced on the asphalt floor, shying away from the light, and the pain slowly subsided. He looked up, and none of their enemies remained excluding their ashes.

Boy, was he tired.

The others gathered round him with scowls on their faces.

"You little shit," said Junpei. "Stop doing crazy things like that, okay?"

Fuuka nodded in agreement. "Minato-kun, you had us all worried to death!"

They waited for him to respond.

"Ai…gis…" The grip on his chest loosened, and tightened again upon hearing the others' disappointed sighs.

"Already taken care of," Mitsuru stated matter-of-factly, arms crossed over her chest. She jerked her head to the right, and there he saw Aigis being tended to by Yukari. "You should worry more about yourself."

"In any case," Fuuka interected. "Good job, everyone."

"Man…" Junpei let out a sigh. "Talk about exhausting."

Aigis had managed to rise and comment on how Strega didn't come to interfere, followed by Yukari's quick explanation of them not having Chidori. When the subject came to Shinjiro, Ken and the other Arisato, Akihiko's face grew dim.

It concerned the blue-haired boy, who was too exhausted, however, to think. He almost lost his balance had it not been for Junpei who, with a smirk, helped keep him on his toes. "Yo there. If you ain't feeling well, you gotta at least _say_ something."

Minato merely shrugged.

"I'm sorry; I haven't been able to locate any of them yet." Fuuka said, appearing sincerely ashamed.

"Let's return to the dorm, and go from there." Mitsuru flipped her ruby hair back and glanced at the boxer, who still kept himself mute. "Akihiko? Are you listening?"

For the first time in a while, he spoke. "Today is… October fourth, huh… Just go back without me. I'm gonna go look for them for a while."

They watched as he exited the station.

Confusion seemed so out of place in Mitsuru's eyes, given that they were so full of certainty most of the time, but it was clear to Minato that the actions of her childhood friend greatly baffled her.

"The fourth... October fourth…" she said with a gasp. "That's right! I was so caught up in the operation that I didn't realize it… This is the day that Amada's mother was killed!"

Junpei stepped back, pulling the leader along with him. "You serious?"

* * *

The full moon, yellow in hue, looked so eerie when seen from the dark alleys of Port Island Station. However, the two people at the said alley paid no heed as they were too immersed in the presence of each other.

"I won't stop you," said Shinjiro. "You're right. I wanted to forget, that's why I left the group and tried to suppress my power… but nothing I did could erase the memory. And now I find myself here—"

He let out a bitter laugh.

"—the last place I want to be."

Ken kept his words to himself, and the older one continued. "It's my fault, and this is what I deserve. But… let me give you one warning."

"Warning?"

Monochrome eyes fastened on the child before him. "If you decide to take my life, you'll end up like me. Just remember that."

"Is that supposed to change my mind?"

"Even if all you have now is hatred," he continued, "One day you'll regret it."

A flash of anger invaded the child's eyes. "Shut up! That's a load of crap!"

"…He is correct," said a voice that belonged to neither of the two. In response, Shinjiro hissed, spitting a threatening 'you' at the member of Strega. His silver hair seemed to slither across his back like a snake as he stepped into the scene. "There is no reason for him to feel regret… That is the nature of revenge. Is it not permissible to kill those who are themselves killers?"

Shinjiro scoffed.

"The loss of Chidori has posed a bit of a challenge for us… but we cannot simply ignore your meddling." Takaya pulled out a revolver, and it certainly didn't look like an Evoker. "Do not fear. This life is but a stepping stone. Salvation shall be yours…"

Stepping forward, Shinjiro stared daggers at the intruder. "What!?"

"You cannot defy fate. You shall die, whether or not it is at the hands of this boy."

No response.

"You've been taking those pills for some time now. You don't have much longer."

"What's he talking about?!" Ken demanded through gritted teeth, but was ignored.

Shinjiro, in protest, shook his head. "That's bullshit!"

"Listen to your body." Takaya smirked. "You know it to be true."

When Ken spoke, there was a mix of frustration along his tempestuous tone. "What does he mean…? You're going to die? No matter _what_ I do?" The child clenched his fist around his spear. "That's not fair! All this time! I've been waiting for this!"

Takaya turned to Ken. "The cause of death is not of importance. Besides, the breath of life is faint in you as well, child. After killing him, you were planning to join him, were you not?"

Ken did not answer.

"Since you are both destined to perish, allow me to do the honors. A slight change in timing shouldn't matter too much."

It all happened so fast. Takaya's revolver aimed at Ken, Shinjiro running desperately to shield him, the bullet meant for the child going through Shinjiro instead. And there he lay, weak and defeated, as Ken stood by the sidelines whilst trying to comprehend the series of event that had unfolded.

The one with the silver hair towered over the almost lifeless body, his gun pointed towards the latter's forehead. "Now then… with what little life you have left, answer me this… There is one like Chidori among you, is there not? This has enabled you to locate and defeat those we wish to protect. Now tell me… which one of you is it?"

Ken watched as Shinjiro, with what little breath he had remaining, claimed there to be no one of the sort. He watched the Strega member's pale finger tightening around the trigger, stepped forward and said; "Wait! It-It's me!"

Yellow eyes studied the boy cautiously. "Is that true?"

"…Yes. That's the only reason they let me join."

Shinjiro stammered desperately.

"Ken… no…!" As the limp man tried to resist, Takaya rammed his feet to Shinjiro's chest, followed by a painful groan.

"…Quiet. You had your chance."

"It doesn't matter anymore," said Ken. "I'll never have my revenge. I have no reason to live."

"…I see. So you have achieved resolution." Takaya aimed his gun at the child with a wistful look on his blanched features. "How enviable. Then, you shall be first."

The child closed his eyes.

"Rest peacefully."

* * *

So Ken's mother had been killed by Shinjiro. Even though it was an accident, the blue-haired boy couldn't imagine the wrath slowly consuming the child as he went on with his life. How did it feel, he wondered, to have been so close to your mother's murderer, waiting day after day for a chance of revenge?

But that was the least of his worries now. The good news was, Fuuka had successfully located the whereabouts of the two. The bad news—a member of Strega lurked nearby. Nobody seemed to notice, but Minato secretly thought about his counterpart, as well. She told him that she didn't like October. Could this have been the reason?

"Can you believe it," the archer said, breaking the silence as they ran towards the station. "All of this… everything's gone crazy."

Minato kept his eyes on the road ahead, but nodded. The others kept silent. No one could have conjured up an acceptable answer, anyway.

They neared the station. He could hear the sighs of relief everyone had released, but were silenced by the sound of a gunshot. When their feet carried them to the alley, they did not expect to see Shinjiro lying on the ground. And that very ground seemed to be stained with… crimson.

"What is the meaning of this?" A familiar, but unwelcomed voice said. "Why would you risk your life to save this child?"

Akihiko was the first to call out to his childhood friend.

When the man of silver locks and yellow eyes turned to face the rest of the party, his features grew dim, giving them a look of disappointment before running off.

Everyone had gathered around Shinjiro, all beaten up with injuries. His senpai, however, had failed to acknowledge them as his eyes were too focused on the child behind the crowd.

He coughed. "What's with the long face? Isn't this what you wanted?"

"No! Senpai!" Fuuka tried to help him to his feet, but was shrugged off.

"It's alright. Give yourself time, make your anger your strength… C'mon, Ken, you're just a kid. You've got your whole life ahead of you, so don't waste it. Make it your own, okay?"

Ken stammered. "But… I… I…"

"Aki, take care of him…"

"I will," said the boxer with no hesitation.

Minato averted his gaze just in time to witness the bright light that flooded the entire alleyway. From it emerged a girl with auburn hair, face tear-stricken but without emotion. The others were too focused on their dying friend to notice her mysterious entrance, so their reactions to her entrance were a bit late.

"Minako-chan, where have you been? Senpai is…"

The girl remained silent, towering over her senpai for a moment before kneeling down. Shinjiro locked his gaze with hers, and Minato grew wary of the stinging sensation he felt in his chest.

Her gaze was stoic, but deep.

"You're not… going to cry?" Shinjiro attempted to chuckle, but spat up blood instead.

"I figured you wouldn't want me to," was her answer.

"…Good girl."

With all of his remaining strength, Shinjiro managed to get to his feet, tilting his head up to the yellow moon. Serenity seemed to fill his eyes as he spoke the words;

"This is how it should be."

Minato watched his senpai take a few steps before collapsing to the ground. Ken fell down to his knees, devastated, and pounded on the ground with his fist while screaming at the top of his lungs. Minako merely stood there, serious and unmoving, quietly watching the events unfold.

After many hard-fought battles, their squad suffered its first casualty.

* * *

**A/N**: This has got to be my longest chapter yet. It's basically just the events of October 4th with a little outside scene included. After this, I can focus on my own plot. XP


End file.
